Saba, daughter of Balto and Jenna
by Brythespy
Summary: Saba's creepy owner broke her trust and with it, she lost the love, she lost her heart, for all she knew, she lost her mind. Saba runs far away from home and is found by a wolf pup. He's lost his home, just like she did. The two travel to a wolf pack and talk to it's alpha, hoping that he can help the wolf pup find his family. After that, what will Saba do? For 'SoulFireFlame'.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue, trust.

Trust... What would you say trust is? If you asked the right person, they'd tell you that it was depending on others for your own needs. Another might tell you it was a sign of weakness. Then you ask a newborn baby what trust is. If they could talk, they'd probably tell you the trust is life.

For Saba, trust had always been something that she seemed to have naturally. Much too trusting of others could lead to problems, and breaking trust could cause even the most stable person to insane.

Her owner broke her trust the minute he turned into a creep. He had always been nice to Saba, ever since adopting her from that little box by the general store with the sign that only wished a nice home to the pups of Jenna and Balto. He had picked up Saba that day, and vowed to take care of her. Vowed to take a life, whether that meant she would die or live depended on him.

For the last year everything was great. Her owner would walk her every day, feed her, and gave her a large comfortable bed in the garage. But something seemed to change that day. It was simply 'that day' to Saba because she had no idea what had happened. Whenever she tried to recall the events of 'that day', something seemed to block it out, and fill her with rage, regret, and depression.

Saba may not have known what caused her owner to suddenly go crazy, but something did it. She didn't know if it was her fault, if she should have gone through with it just so that she could keep the love…

Saba, winter of 1929

She was running, not caring where she went, as long as it was far away from... Everything. To her, Sam _was_ everything. He as her friend, caretaker, provider and protector. Most of all, he was the human she loved with all her heart, and Sam seemed to share the same feeling. But now all she wanted to do was be as far away from that damn place, that damned town, and all of those damned humans.

She lost her trust.

Trust broken is an understatement. How, that night seemed normal enough. He had called her into his room to sleep with him in bed. Something that Saba frequently enjoyed. They'd snuggle up on cold nights, and Saba would feel more at home resting her head on his chest, than she'd ever anywhere else in the world. She always had a smile, that same smile, one of pure happiness. But that changed in one foul motion.

He brought her into the garage, and she was surprised to see another dog there. A stud, a mindless nut who's only purpose was to mate, mate and mate. Saba quickly overheard Sam's words as he talked to the breeder.

"You could make a lot of money from getting some pure bred Husky puppies from her" The breeder explained.

"Yeah, and the best part about it, I got the _bitch_ for free_!" _Sam said.

Not only was she simply not ready for anything of that matter, but this dog… This… Disgusting oaf, was one that she had heard stories of. Who's reputation was one that she had come to hate as much as the dog himself. The same dog that wanted nothing more than to mate with her own mother… And the same that nearly killed her father multiple times.

Steele.

"What's the matter girl? Your old parents' telling you lies about my past? Just give me a try, I'll go easy on you." Steele tried to manipulate her mind.

Saba had rejected his attempts to go further with her, and Sam became enraged.

Sam began beating her… From room to room as she ran for her life; kicking her specifically harder in her private area, then threw her outside in the cold unforgiving snow of winter. She was devastated to say the least. It wasn't even the physical injuries that caused her to cry. It was the trust, the bond that she shared with this human being broken, that tore her apart emotionally.

His statement would reply in her head every second of every day... Keeping her mind prisoner of the moment that her life changed forever.

"_Damn mutt. Can't believe I wasted so much time with this bitch_…"

That was all she was to him… A _bitch_ for breeding puppies.

"_That's all I ever was…"_ She thought.

She changed that day. Changed in ways she could not ever understand. Sure Balto, Jenna, or any of her caring siblings would be a good place to go. But right now all she wanted to do was run, and run she did… She did not stop until she was nearly _one hundred and thirty_ miles outside of White Mountain. Home would never be a word familiar to her after this point, but it doesn't mean she won't ever have one.

**Story requested by Soulfireflame. I'm an amateur writer to say the least, no idea why you asked me to do this, but I hope it lived up to your expectations, and if so, chapter two is coming right away as it's already been typed out.**


	2. Chapter 2

Saba, first person

Snow... Snow snow and snow, is all I remembered for the past few hours. I caught myself observing the snowfall in the middle of a blizzard. I couldn't… No, wouldn't give up though, the wind was pushing me back harder than any force I know, but I wouldn't give up.

To my owner, I was just a worthless bitch, and I was going to prove him wrong... But I wasn't doing a very good job of that.

"Come on girl... Push yourself further. Just... A bit... Further." I told myself.

I was being pushed back in a few seconds, what took me nearly five minutes to walk. There was no type of marker for me to see that would give a hint to my location, but I figured that I was far... Far from my town, far from my family, my friends... I was far from my home... No, not my home, that place is no longer my home… Nowhere was.

The wind ripped through my fur, and was not the least bit forgiving, but I was okay. I knew I would make it... But to where exactly?

For the first time in a while, I finally thought about what I was doing, seemingly coming back to reality this exact moment.

"What the hell am I doing out here?" I yelled at myself, finding it remarkably similar to when Jenna would scold me...

What _was _doing here? I was miles from home, and according to my nose, miles from the nearest... Anything. I was just in the middle of an endless frozen ocean or something. I was unsure.

Why did I run? I suppose it was because I had nobody to run to... Sam was... My everything.

But it was all a lie... It was all just one big fat lie... There were times when you wouldn't know it was a lie, that the love we shared was genuine.

Flashback

Sam closed the door happily behind him, as he brushed the snow off of himself, he also brushed the snow off a small puppy. Saba, she was only about two months at this point and Sam had just adopted her happily from the box by Nome general store.

"Ah little girl you'll love it here. I don't have any kids so you don't have to worry about them tugging your ears." Sam said as he scratched her head a bit.

He put the small pup down on the couch, a dirty broken beaten couch, sure, but to Saba it was the best thing in the world. It was her new owners', so to her it was home.

"You stay put, I'll go and bring you a present."

Saba jumped happily, yipping and whining in a high pitch.

Sam returned a moment later with his left hand behind his back, something was hidden. He gave the puppy a bacon treat, and she ate it happily. As she was licking his hand, she felt something to around her soft neck.

It was a small, thin red leather collar with a golden tag hanging from it.

"There we go, Saba. Haha I went out to the general store thinking I was going to leave shaking my head with regret as I buy an 8 dollar gallon of milk... Damn overpriced store... And yet, I come back with a happy, cute face." He said as he rubbed her head and neck.

Saba loved his touch, not only was being scratched soothing to her, but it was a hand or warmth, kindness, and love. More so, it was a hand of trust.

Sam smiled with his eyes shiny, and picked up the small pup. He held her close to his chest and kissed her softly on the head.

"You'll always be my little Saba. I love you already, and nothing is ever going to separate us." He said in a soothing voice.

Saba, cold wind blows.

"Ha, separated... I'm nothing but a worthless bitch to you now..." She thought.

The wind... The snow, the cold was starting to get to me. Down to my bones, I felt a deathly chill coursing throughout my extremities. At this point I know I'd get frost bite at least on my paws... That I knew. But I did not know if that was _all_ I was going to get away with.

"S...s...so c...cold..." I forced through my teeth.

My brother... He was the runner; he was the one who knew how to deal with this. But I was no sled dog; I didn't know how to survive this.

"_Survive_..."

It was my only motivation, it was to survive. What I would do, where I was, where I would go, we're all questions that needed to be dealt with later. Right now it was to get out of this storm.

"I can't walk anymore... I need to drop down and try to cover myself or else I'm going to freeze..." I thought.

Decided, I locked my back paws into the show and began frantically scratching at the ground below me... But that was it. Scratching away at the impenetrable ice below me. Alaska is known for its permafrost, super strong and near unbreakable earth, but this was something else.

A deafening sound shook the floor beneath me... The ice was breaking.

"Great... If the blizzard isn't going to freeze me, falling in the water will." I thought.

Below me seemed stable enough, so I pressed on, giving it my all.

Balto, Siku, Nome.

"Dad, dusty said Saba has run off or something..." Kodi said.

He had run from the post office all the way to his boat, and nearly collided with him in the process. He stared his father down, panting frantically.

"What? What do you mean she's run off?" He asked.

"Come!"

Balto watched Kodi run off back in the direction of Nome. He cocked his head in confusion and called Boris.

"Hey Boris... Uh, keep an eye on Siku and Jenna. Tell them I'm in town... Tell them… something is wrong with Saba..." He said as he too ran off towards the town.

When they arrived, dusty had already assembled a small group of dogs around the main post office.

"Balto! Saba left... She just... Ran, and seemed to ignore my calls... Her owner threw her out... He seemed mad, but she was crying!" Dusty explained loudly so that the others could also hear.

"That doesn't sound good..." Balto said slowly, like he was thinking.

"I don't understand... Saba always talked good about Sam... They loved each other."

"Maybe she took a crap on his favorite rug." Kodi half-joked.

"No, no... He loved her... There really isn't anything I could think of that would cause him to kick her out."

"Maybe it's a misunderstanding... Lets to and check out her owner and his house." Kodi suggested.

"You've got to run though... Ah, I see Siku has awaken. Send her over with me after she finishes her daily ritual with you before you leave." Balto laughed a bit as he watched the small white wolf pup running towards the two from main street.

"Can do..." Kodi said absentmindedly as he prepared for Siku.

Balto walked off, but before turning the corner, he peaked back and smiled as Siku jumped Kodi, knocking him on his back, then licking him all over, before lecturing him on staying safe when he was out on the run. It was a daily thing that entertained everyone in the morning. At first it was embarrassing to Kodi, but he, and everyone else for that matter, got used to it and found it cute.

Balto shook his head with a smile and walked off towards Saba and Sam's house. He soon stood before the large metal door and began to sniff the air that escaped underneath the door frame. Saba's scent was nonexistent...

"Huh..." Balto's lower jaw lazily hung as he looked around for clues.

After about five minutes, he looked to the left and gave a quick howl to his son as the team of barking, hardworking dogs soon disappeared behind the trees. He smiled, but forgot that his howl may have alerted someone else.

Siku came running from the left now just in time for Sam to open the door.

Bakto jumped and lowered his ears at the sudden slam of the door, and stared at the knees of a ragged man. He looked and smelled like he hasn't bathed in weeks and in his left hand he held a pistol... Unloaded and empty, but it was still a pistol. In his right hand he had a square flask of what Balto could smell as Vodka.

Sam stared down the wolfdog, not moving out of the door frame, then finally made a move.

He slowly stumbled out of the doorway and plopped down on a stack of logs outside of his front door. He smashed his head on the green metallic outside of his house and sat back, still holding both dangerous items with him.

Balto whimpered slightly and walked up to him, but he nodded to Siku to keep her distance.

"I shoon'ta done it..." He stammered

"My girl is gon'... She ran inta the forest... Now she gone..." He continued, gazing back at Balto.

Balto lowered his head further and got closer to the man.

"You her papa... I know it... You look it... Look like her" he said.

He slowly out reached to Balto, and dropped his pistol in the snow before him.

"Take the thing man... Take it away 'fore I do sumtin' stoopid..."

Balto was a bit confused, but listened to him. No doubt he also wanted to get this firearm as far away from the drunken man anyways. He scooped up the pistol with his mouth and took it away, running past Siku.

"Balto what's that... You've got a gun!" Siku said surprised.

"Itchs shamss'" he tried to say.

"What?"

He dropped it for a second and repeated himself.

"It's Sam's... I'd like to keep this as far from him as possible for now." He said

He picked it back up and ran with it, dropping it in front of the sheriff's office and scratching at the door. The main officer opened the door quickly and looked down confused at Balto. Balto nudged the gun with his nose, and then ran off leaving him scratching his head.

"What a good dog, knows to bring this here." He said, not particularly to anyone.

Balto quickly ran back to Sam, who had not moved. He sat down right in front of him and cocked his head. He knew that the humans loved it when dogs did that. To top it off he raised a paw at him, pretending to scratch something in the air in front of him.

Sam struggled to laugh, his eyes closing and his teeth barely showing, but he laughed.

"You like her... Like ya dodder. She was a gud gurl. Never did nutin wrong." He struggled to say.

Balto stared him down as he raised his left hand -the one that used to hold his pistol- and aimed his finger at himself. He cocked his thumb like a pistol and made a boom sound. Suggesting that he wanted to blow his brains out right now.

"See? Good thing ya took it away huh." Sam said slowly.

Balto leaned over to Siku and said "man this guy's gone off the deep end..."

"Yeah..." Siku whispered back. "What does going off the deep end mean." She said while still looking forward.

"Ballot youse a good dog ya saved the town. And I loved ya dodder man I really did."

"Ballot isn't your name!" Siku whispered.

"Shh" Balto replied.

"Dun matter now. I made 'er leave. All cuz' of money probums'."

Sam took another swig of the vodka, and then leaned it over to Balto, offering him some.

Balto looked at Siku and did the dog equivalent of shrugging his shoulders in a 'why not' sort of way. Then he licked some of the foul tasting liquid and immediately began shaking his head and squeezing his tongue.

"Agh! It's like my tongue caught fire!" Balto said.

Siku laughed a bit as she watched him licking the top of his mouth repeatedly.

"Nasty to ya' huh." Sam said.

"Yeah you gets use'ta it." He added

Balto whimpered a bit and placed a paw on the doggy door.

Sam seemed to get a bit emotional and waved his hand at Balto, while looking the other way. He violently ripped his head to face Balto.

"She gon man. I know youse lookin' for 'er . But I ran her off… I want 'er back, but I know she not a'comin' back. I'm sorry Saba."

Balto walked over and licked his hand, then turned away. Sam raised his flask to him, and Balto nodded goodbye. Sam watched him slowly walk off, and Siku sat there for a few more seconds, but then followed Balto. Sam just took another hard swig of his alcohol and continued his state.

"Man that guy was really torn apart." Siku said.

"I know him... Knew him even before Saba was born. He's a good guy... There must be some other reason why he kicked Saba out."

Siku seemed to think intensely for a second, then she got an idea.

"Hey... Didn't he used to work at the mines? And... They just closed the mines."

"So he's unemployed now." Balto said, agreeing with her.

"The stress of no longer having a job is one thing..."

"Perhaps he felt that he could no longer take care of her?"

"Who knows... But I know one thing. Look to the south, there's a blizzard about 50 miles south east... She ran off that way. I'm going to follow her scent... I'm going to bring my daughter home." Balto valiantly said.

"You're not going alone." Siku said.

"What? You want to come with me?"

"Yeah! It'll be like old times!"

"I've only known you for like... 4 months."

"Doesn't matter. Anyway, you need another wolf by your side... And I want to find Saba just as badly as you do."

"Well alright then we leave first thing to tomorrow morning. Let's hope that storm is gone by then..."

Saba.

It was so cold; I felt a clicking sensation when I walked... Looking back, I saw that ice had formed in the fur along my backside, and walking caused it to click together. I shivered nonstop and continued on, but this blizzard was showing no signs of stopping.

"C c...can't g...go on..."

Something was wrong... My legs went numb, starting with my front legs, I fell, face first into the floor, my frail body following a second later.

The winds had died down almost as soon as I fell... What luck I had. But I could no longer move... My body was beginning to shut down...

The winds stopped, but the heavy downfall didn't. I soon found myself being covered in snow, but allowed it, because it would actually help to warm me.

I was shivering like mad... A husky mix, and even one that was part wolf, was shivering... How pathetic. I felt the cold down to my skin... I felt it down to my bones... I felt it down to my heart...

Third person, unidentified character.

I walked along the outskirts of a forest... I had nobody left in the world, but I knew one thing... Something was drawing me to the middle of 'Norton Bay' in the center of the frozen, blizzard ridden lake. Something was out there. _Someone_, maybe.

Being guided by something, nearly an hour later, I found it: granted from this point it was not even recognizable... There lies a dog, or possibly a part wolf mix. She was a color I've never seen before, a type of dark crimson red, and the rest of her was a white with the faintest tint of cream. She was frozen... Her body was locked, and her brain into hibernation. But she wasn't dead... Yet.

The great Aniu must have acted in our favor today, because the blizzard almost immediately stopped, and the warming weak sun above began to re-animate the near-dead husky. I did what I could to help, and curled around her head, amazingly, barely able to even keep that save. Man I was small.

Saba.

"...c...cold...must...try to...move..." Her mind said over a course of minutes.

Her thoughts were very slow and lagging, and her perception of time was nearly frozen. It was an odd state... She felt like she was not in a body, just a locked mind in a world where time went by sluggishly. It took her a full minute for the message from her skin to tell her brain that something soft... And warm... Was snuggled against her head.

An hour passed, the warm soft thing did not leave.

Eventually, she seemed to have full thought, it moved in real time, she could finally perceive what her senses were telling her. She heard the calm winds above, she felt the snow on her body, and the warm object around her head and neck, she smelled... A wolf puppy? What on earth was a pup doing out here alone?

Finally, her eyes that were literally frozen shut broke free. And she tried her best to look at what lie before her eyes.

It was two tiny black-furred paws.

* * *

**Cliffhanger?! Who is this wolf pup and why is he here? Well granted that question may have already been answered.**

**I have to thank soulfireflame for this. I picked up her request thinking it would be a side project, something that would have to require more time than my other stories. As a challenge. But I've come to love this story, and its characters… I really enjoy writing this, and I hope you all enjoy reading it too.**

**Also I added my OC Siku, because she's awesome and everywhere, and as welcome in Nome as Balto himself Lol.**

**Till next time, brythespy.**


	3. Chapter 3

Saba, first person. The meeting.

Saba was confused, sure, but she couldn't exactly act it out, or was in no position to find out. Moving her mouth and tongue was like lifting a car. It required all of her energy to speak a single word.

"Who... Are you..." She said not louder than a whisper.

"My names Kanai! Are you lost?" Replied a tiny voice.

"I'm..Saba…And-"

Saba wanted to speak, but something stopped her... The pup placed a gentle paw over her muzzle, and Saba let him stop her midsentence.

"Shh, don't waste energy to talk lady. I will keep you warm and protect you!" Kanai said excitedly.

"_Do I even deserve it..."_ Saba thought.

An entire night passed... Saba would resume her thawing out phase in the morning, as the warming days reached down into the snow and tickled her nose. The event causing her to sneeze, and woke her.

The two canines lay captive in the snow, heat building up in-between the two, thawing out the ice in her veins...

Eventually, she could move! She struggled to stand, and had to use her nose as a shovel to get her out. One paw... Two paws... Shot from beneath the white and pushed down hard to pull her up. Slowly, but surely, she found herself lying above the snow, but she didn't want to move. Being trapped there opened her mind for the first time in days. She had no home, no family, and no friends. Then her current problems, she had no food, shelter, or any marker of where she was. From where she was standing, she seemed to be out in the middle of a frozen ocean.

She _was_ alone, right? No, there was something else... She remembered. Those two little black paws that dangled before her eyes as the rest of its form lie on top of her head. No doubt this thing... This... Animal to say the least, considering it had paws, was helping to warm her. But she didn't deserve it...

Mustering up the tiniest smile, and not at the situation before her, far from that. Her smile is a result of the fact that she proved to herself. She proved to Sam, that she could survive this storm. And stand tall she did, head held high into the air, she felt an incredible urge from deep within her conscious. It was the call of the wolf.

She lifted her head back, raising her right front paw from the ground, and howled out a long song. She did not care who was around to hear it, but it did surprise her that she got a reply...

About five feet from where she hibernated, another form slowly stirred up from the dusty snowfall. It was a wolf pup, and it let out a tiny howl to match hers.

Saba smirked slightly at the pup, not really wanting anything to do with it, and walked off. She was surprised that it didn't even bother her to leave this pup... She had her own problems to deal with... Then again, wasn't she being the very thing she swore Sam was wrong about? A worthless bitch... If she was called that for anything, it walks be for abandoning this pup even after he helped to save her. Had that event alone caused her to close up, and even go as far as leaving a helpless pup behind? She shook her head at the thought... Had she gone mad? How did it even cross her mind that she would leave this pup behind...

With a sigh, she looked back at the pup. It started wagging at tail and jumped out of the snow.

"Thanks for helping me young one, but I'd suggest you run along home now." Saba said rather coldly towards the pup.

"But where are you going?"

Saba slowed a bit, but didn't turn back... If anyone was as clueless to the answer of that question, it was her. She had no idea where she was going.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that little one..." She said as she lowered her head.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Again, it was a question the she could not answer.

"I ... I'm fine."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Am too!" She replied like a pup herself.

"Then why are you going to whale waters?"

What? Surely this pup was out of its mind... 'Whale waters' was the term for being out 10 miles into the pack ice. Anything smaller than a polar bear had the risk of being ambushed from under the ice and devoured by the Killer Whales. If this pup wasn't crazy, it's mean that she had run 50 miles south, and 10 of that was on ice...

She looked back, and all around. The blizzard gone, finally allowing her to see, and nothing could be seen anywhere. As far beyond the white endless frozen see, was nothing but clouds from the sky.

"Hey... Kanai, is it?"

"Where are we?" She added.

"Norton Bay. And faaaar from land!" He replied.

"Why are you out here?" She asked.

"I don't know! Something told me to!"

"Well I'm going back towards land... I think you should get back home."

"But... I don't have a home."

"Nonsense. You go back to your mother your siblings... Your home."

The pup lowered his head and began to cry hysterically.

"I don't have a home! I don't know where my mother is!" He cried into Saba's chest.

"What do you mean you have no home? Don't you have a pack?"

"Our pack was taken over by humans and their fire sticks! I saw..." He stopped himself and stared into space with wide eyes.

He buried his face into Saba's chest again and cried more.

Saba felt a new need to protect this pup... She'd been hurt, that much is true. But she can't let her problems from home affect her now... She had a new life to take care of, a new trusting face to watch after. She had a pup to protect.

"Kanai... Do not worry about a thing. I'll protect you... You can trust me." Saba said.

She lowered down onto her belly and pulled the pup closer, snuggling with him in her warmth. Sam may have given up on her, but she was not going to give up on this pup. She let the pup cry out all of his sorrows for about ten minutes, then Saba noticed something. The sun was starting to set across the endless ice sea...

"Little one, night will soon be upon us. We should start heading back."

"C...can y..you carry me..." He asked.

"Of course Kanai."

She gently picked him up by the scruff on his neck and trotted off. She could barely see the outline of a green forest many miles in the distance. It had taken her a full day, and Kanai more than three hours to get this far... It'd take another three hours to get back.

Nome.

Balto and Siku slowly walked off towards the post office, and signaled Dusty. She had not left with the team on the run this time.

"Hey, why didn't you run?" Balto asked.

Dusty smiled and lifted her right paw. It was covered in white bandages.

"Oh you poor thing, what happened?" Siku asked and Balto nodded, suggesting he was about to say the same thing.

"Nothing really. Just a sprang."

Balto didn't remember her wearing a cast from earlier when she was assembling the pack, and figured he overlooked it because of what she was saying.

"Well Dusty, we've got to go. We're going to look for Saba." Balto added.

"Aww, I wish I could come…"

"You just do me a favor and tell Kodi and the others that I am bringing his sister back no matter what."

"Can do! Good luck you two!" Dusty said.

Balto nodded then walked off with Siku.

"Good luck you sexy wolf-" Dusty cut herself off with a shake of her head.

"_What the hell is wrong with me, finding Balto attractive… Maybe I hit my head or something…"_ She shook her thoughts away and walked back down Main Street, back towards her home.

**(Just a reference to an upcoming story I'm writing. This is already a spoiler enough LOL)**

Balto and Siku soon got home, and after ignoring Jenna's refutes, they left… And ended with a third to travel with them.

Jenna smiled as she joined Balto and Siku, and soon they too disappeared beyond the forest line.

Saba and Kanai

Three hours and enough left over had passed, before Saba had reached a small inclination. It was the coastline, and it meant that soon, Saba and Kanai would be…

"Hey, Kanai. We're on land."

The little pup awoke with a slight shake of his head as Saba placed him down in the snow, then he looked around for a second.

"Now, where do you think we should start to look for your mother?"

Kanai perked up a bit and happily jumped up

"I don't know! Maybe back at my home!" Kanai seemed to sniff about, then looked at the trees high above him.

"I... I don't know where home is..." He said in a sad voice.

"Don't worry Kanai... I don't know where my home is either." Saba said with a smile to make him feel better.

"Maybe after you help me find my home, me and mommy can help you find yours!" Lanai said.

The innocence in his voice affected Saba to the point where she felt genuine sadness at the truth. She did not have a home to find.

"I don't think that's necessary, I'll find my way." She said.

"Now, which way to your den?" She added before Kanai could speak.

"This way!" He said excitedly and jumped around in the snow ahead of her.

Saba giggled as she followed the jumping wolf pup to his home. A moment of worry crossed her mind as they would soon travel into an unknown pack's territory. From what Balto taught her about wolf culture, only the pack alpha had puppies, so she hoped that bringing her pup home safely would keep her from being killed...

She also wondered what to do next... After all, she had no idea which way Nome was, and did she even want to return there? Nome was no longer home... But she couldn't live out in the wild, perhaps she would try and find another Human settlement, maybe one like Nome where she could fit in.

-Something in her mind caused her to stop… It was an awakening, she started to growl… Growl at the thought of humans. For the first time she saw them for what they really were.

"_You can make a lot of money selling the husky pups from that bitch if yours_..."

Not only was it Sam who thought only of money when I came to her... But so did the rest of the town. It was like a kick to the head as she thought about the most famous of them all, Steele. The entire towns economy came from the sled dogs, and to the humans, they were nothing but trophies, free labor, and money machines... Sam took her trust away, but he also opened her mind to how sinister the Humans were.

"Saba this is where I got lost!" Kanai said, knocking her out of a deep thought.

They've been walking for nearly an hour now, and to her left... Was an everlasting frozen ocean. They were simply walking along the frozen coastline.

"What do you mean?"

"This is where I was lost from my mama and a loud angel voice told me you were out in the blizzard! ." He explained.

"Loud angelic voice, huh?"

"Yeah! It told me where to find you, and glad I did because you would have been dead!" He said with happiness, regardless the topic.

Saba smiled at the pup, it reminded her of herself when she was younger. Not a care in the world, he could talk about anything and still have a smile on his face.

Because that is how a child thinks. He doesn't think about what is going to happen tomorrow, or what has happened in the past. All that matters was finding the best out of right now, the current situation. And maybe, just maybe, Saba could learn something from the pup.

"Well, in that case, I thank you little one." She said.

With a lot of hesitation, she leaned down and touched noses to the small pup. A sign of thanks, trust, and most of all caring. The pup leaned back into her leg and she felt happiness. For once in her life, she felt like she had a responsibility to uphold. She needed to find Kanai's mother… But the sad truth dawned on her.

What if his mother could not be found? Where would he go? Surely he'd stay with her… But then again, where would _she_ go? Where would _they_ go? And for that matter, neither of them knew how to hunt.

"I'm hungry…" Kanai said...


	4. Chapter 4

**Quickly edited, then uploaded this because I need to know how everyone feels before I continue typing. And also because I might, once again, be without the ability to write for another day or two, so I am sorry for my inconstancy. In the meantime, check out my other story, Balto enters: The Walking dead. Or, if you like CSI/Horror stuff, and don't like The Walking Dead, I am working on another story: Hive Mind.**

**Don't worry though, This story is still my main priotity. I'm having THAT much fun writing it LOL.**

* * *

Kanai and Saba

Night had already overtaken the two traveling canines, and one thing was certain. They both needed their rest. But another problem wouldn't leave, and that was of hunger. Saba was raised in a loving, aring – well for the most part – household. She was fed all her meals, and never once starved. Kanai was almost the same, having been raised by the alpha of his pack, his meals were given to him by his mother. He was simply too young to learn to hunt…

So what would the two do for food? Saba had to at least try to hunt, after all, she had wolf genes in her…

After the whole Aleu fiasco, Balto had revealed to the rest of his children the truth behind their heritage, and surprisingly, they all took it well. Kodi even embraced it, and told the entire town that their lead dog had wolf in him. Saba was no exemption. She embraced her part wolf, and thought fondly of it. If anything… It would help right now if she somehow had a secret instinct to hunt buried deep inside of her.

Soon the two found a fallen tree, one that might have been the victim of a lightning strike sometime in the past, was now a new home for the two to share for the night. Saba and Kanai climbed under the log and fell asleep almost instantly. Saba felt a new love for the little guy, and slowly but surely, snuggled herself around the pup. He was protected fully, and kept warm as Saba covered him with her long bushy tail like a blanket. The two would sleep well tonight, but that can't be said for everyone who shared this night together.

Lost without a cause.

_Hold true to those who love you… For they have never left._

Running and running… All he could do. All he knew, all he _wanted_ to do. What he was running for... Or from... He didn't care. Right now he wanted to run. With only a single sliver remnant of a tear down his cheek, he pressed on, not caring where he'd end up, or whether he would run himself to death.

Something tore apart this guy, something nobody on earth could relate to, something… He hoped, and prayed that nobody would have to endure were it to happen the same way.

That was nearly two years ago… An eternity for the broken soul, let alone a canine soul, who, if you believe in that whole dog years crap, would have suffered for 14 years at this point.

Today he was running, but not without reason like he did all that time ago, he was running from a group of hunters, that he unfortunately had the stupid choice of having to deal with. They hated him for no reason… Didn't know, or cared what he thought, felt, what he did, who he loved, who loved him… It didn't matter to these humans. All he was, was a wolf… And not even a pure wolf…

A wolf dingo mix… An interesting tainted mesh of Dingo and Wolf genetics, one, whom to every one of both species, would be an outcast forever. Not that it mattered to him though… He only cared about one thing.

And that one thing did not care for him back.

His name was even confusing to him. For the past two years he didn't even refer to himself as a name. He did not think it worthy in the least bit of sense. Like he did not _deserve_ a name…

One from his past would call him Aubrey… But that name was dead to him now. Dead for nearly two years… Killed that night… That night he abandoned who gave him the very same name.

Today, he'd probably react to Rusty. Maybe he embraced the name a bit… It fit him. His fur color alone could be described as rusty. Equal tainting from both, his wolf side, and dingo sides, caused his fur to be a constant sandy color, and of course had the markings a typical dingo had, though they were filtered a bit by the ever-fighting wolf side.

Eventually, he outran the hunters. Not that it was a problem… He has run into hunters before, and even more experience he had...

With Humans.

"_How odd, a human's trust. It was so hard to get, harder to keep, yet so easy to break._" A wise writer once said, and he's held this quote to heart. For it was one he felt was true in every aspect.

He did keep a little beacon of hope from the days he shared with a humans' love. It was a necklace… Maybe it was bronze, maybe it was silver. The only thing that mattered to him was that it was 'hers'. It belonged to the one human he could trust… He could love… One, who he'd die a thousand deaths to protect.

Rusty shook his head at the thoughts… That was all in the past. That was all just nonsense. He was no longer Aubrey… He was Rusty, a lone wolf, and nothing more. Surely he'd join another wolf pack? Maybe find love again someday, a place he belonged… But that was not going to happen.

He did encounter a wolf pack… Months ago. They taunted him and called him names, kept him as an outcast, and nearly every single one of them wanted him dead… Except for its Alpha. He saw hope in the wolf-dingo, and allowed him safe passage through the territory.

"Black Eye"… Rusty thought.

It was a name that he could, should, but would not register as 'friend'. Black Eye was nothing more but a weak soul. Even though he helped Rusty, he still hated the wolf. Taking pity on him… Ha. As if… Had Rusty not been so kind and lighthearted that day, he would have killed the alpha… But that was not him, was it? Had his past with humans turned him into a heartless killing machine? Perhaps the heartless part… But he was not a killer.

He followed a simple motto: Savage or Survivor.

He'd think of himself as a survivor. And anyone else had to either live by those two rules.

He was lost deep in thoughts… Thoughts of the past? No. He did not care about his past. That's all it was… His past. And a good soul once told him not to think of a dark past, and hope for a brighter future. What _did _Rusty have to hope for in his future? What, that he'd find another human who loved him, one that he could love back? No. Never. He had a human… And he lost that love. He was never going to let another be lost.

Perhaps he was lost too deeply in his thoughts, because he seemed to not notice the two figures sleeping under the very same tree he would sleep under for the past few months.

"_Great, a dog and a wolf pup had found my tree… Better not wake them, I'll soon be many miles from here."_ He thought.

Without even a second eye to the two sleeping canines, he quickly ran off… But something stopped him. A scent ripped across his nose and nearly caused him to fall flat.

A grizzly.

He was even mad at the fact alone that this grizzly chose to try and pick a fight with him… But a slight bliss seemed to leak out of his inner mind. It could have been the end. It could have… The bear would end his life, yes, and maybe, finally, he'd be at peace.

But not today.

Without time to react yet again, a sliver of Red and White jumped across his view and latched onto the bear as it let out a deafening cry of pain.

Rusty growled and jumped into action, not really caring about the outcome, but now another being was involved, and he held his moral code to help anyone he came across… No matter how filtered and ignored that has gone the past two years.

He bit the bears ankle, causing it to fall onto it's back, then he jumped it's neck, and quickly ended it's life. He had taken down a full grizzly! But… He'd be lying if he said he did it alone.

Rusty turned to see the red and white dog smiling back at him.

"Thanks for the help sir." Saba said to him.

Was she crazy? The bear was attacking HIM! Not her… Right?

He looked again, and saw that the bear was indeed aiming to attack her and the pup while they were sleeping… He snapped at himself in anger. While he was sitting there, ready for the bear to kill him off, he selfishly thought of nobody but himself. And in his moment of weakness, the bear had ignored him, and went off to target the two sleeping canines behind him.

"It was nothing, now leave. This is my home." Rusty coldly spoke.  
"Oh, I see. I am sorry… And we'll leave you to yourself."  
"It is for the best."

Saba nodded and grabbed the white puppy, still sleeping, then trotted off.

Rusty grew angrier with himself every moment that he spent watching the two leave… Every step they took shook him the wrong way. Saba was a dog… And the pup was well… A pup. Surely they could not fend for themselves…

"Wait!" Rusty called after them.

This alone caused something deep inside of him to stab his heart with a million needles. It had grown a protective shell over it to fend off anymore harm… Anymore loss of the love, trust, anything he could see.

But a feeling washed over him… The pup really, was the only thing he seemed to care about. Saba was just an add-on… Or was she? For some odd reason he felt like he knew her from somewhere… Yes, yes… It was that dog… Back at-

No. He would not ever think of that damned place… With those damned humans…

He never broke his stare with the red and white dog as she ran back to his call with a slight smile on her face.

"You called?"  
"Yes. It would be vile of me to send you out into the wild without making sure you can handle yourselves. Do either of you know how to hunt?"  
"Uh… I'm afraid not. I'm only helping this pup return home… He's lost his entire pack to humans…"  
"Sounds familiar…"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Nothing… But I thought I'd help you for now, as it is against my code to abandon a pup in need."  
"Sure is Nobel of you. You strike me as someone who could save a town or something."  
"What is that supposed to mean…"  
"Oh, it's just… An old saying. My father saved a town once, Nome… The kids were sick and-"

At this point Rusty had completely lost his mind at her words. He saw her mouth moving, and she was telling a story… But he already knew the story. He knew everything. Thoughts popped back up, and the event nearly caused him to faint. He knew who she was, yes he did. She was the daughter of Jenna and Balto, and Balto was the famous wolfdog, one that he secretly admired for the longest time. Because he did one thing… Did something he could not. Save the town from a sickness, save his human…

Saba had unlocked memories that he had turned away and resented. Memories he had locked up in a vault, and tossed into a river, then hauled the river into space… Memories of Nome, and it's humans.

"Stop right there!" He yelled.  
"What, wait, what's wrong?  
"Stop talking right now! That's what's wrong!"  
"Okay… Uh… We will just go-"  
"No… No…"

He shook his head more, shaking the thoughts away slowly, and he looked back up at Saba.

"No… Don't leave. You and your pup return to sleep. I will have food ready for you when you awaken…"

Saba looked at him confused… What did this character have hidden? Did the mere story of Nome cause him to shout like that? Perhaps it was something else… Something deep down that she had unlocked. But who was she to pry…

For now, she was grateful. He had saved her from death, and now he was saving them again by bringing food. She slowly walked back to the fallen tree for shelter and curled around Kanai once again. The little white wolf pup had not even awaken from any of the events that just unfolded, and she would not tell him of the attack, for he had lost enough in his short life…

She was about to sleep… But something was preventing her. She was being watched.

Saba looked over her shoulder to see Rusty still staring at her… For a reason she could not understand.

"Oh… Uh… Forgive me Saba… For the outburst back there, and for staring at you now. I did not mean anything of it, and I will soon be off."

Saba nodded to him with a smile, and he did the same, minus the smile, then ran off beyond the forest.

She smiled as she curled her head back around the wolf pup, and ignored the thoughts that ravaged her mind… One above all. How on earth did Rusty know her name?

* * *

**I'd like to thank Amari412 for letting me use Rusty. Hope I did well with him! I'd also like to thank Soulfireflame for proposing this story idea to me, because I really am having fun writing it, and I hope everyone has as much fun reading it as I did.**

P.S, I 'borrowed' Amari412's way of formatting dialogue, I kinda like it lol.


	5. Chapter 5

Saba and Kanai

I awoke to the sounds of tiny growling and eating noises. Kanai was eating something? Surely he hadn't gone out and caught something on his own? But then it hit me... Last night we met another wolf... Or wolf dog or something. He promised food for us in the morning and sure enough, it was the back ends of a baby caribou that Kanai was feasting on this morning.

"Good morning Saba!" Kanai said.

He dropped the food and walked over to me, for some reason nuzzling my neck. I felt bad for the pup… He's lost his mother, and I feared for the worst that he was starting to grow attached to me.

"Morning little one. Enjoying your meal?"  
"Yeah! Come eat!"  
"You fill up first… Say… You didn't catch that on your own did you? Where's the other guy from last night?"  
"I don't know… He left after he brought this meal and didn't say a word."  
"That guy seems very distant… Wonder what his problem is."  
"Maybe he is just looking for his home too!"  
"What makes you say that?"  
"Well, I am looking for my home… You are looking for your home… We are all looking for our homes!"

The words that came from this little guys' mouth were very wise, yet so innocent. If our savior and host was indeed as easy to read to a little pup like Kanai, perhaps I could get a better read on him… But where did he run off to?

About another hour passed; Kanai and I had finished off the rest of the meal, and even though we were both stuffed, we still enjoyed the bones as much afterwards. I waited and waited for him to return, so that I could at least thank him for the meal and shelter… Waited and waited… Until the sun was high in the sky above. It was maybe 3PM when I finally decided that it was time for us to take our leave.

I cleaned out the remains of our meal, and straightened up his home out of respect, then we were off…

Just in time for him to return.

"Well it's about time you've come home. Me and Kan-"  
"This is not my home…" He cut me off.  
"Okay… Well, thanks anyway. Where have you been all morning?"  
"It isn't of your concern. Please forgive me Saba, for I must take my leave again. I only came back here to make sure you two were well fed and rested, then I would hope that you would be moving on by now yourselves."  
"Of course… But… Something has been bothering me since last night… And you just reminded me."  
Rusty seemed to perk up as I asked him a question, seemingly hoping that I would ask the right one.  
"How on earth do you know my name?"

I watched the light escape from his eyes… He froze again, just like he did last night. Once again, I felt like I had unlocked memories deep in the back of his mind, and soon he would snap at me and yell at me to leave…

"It's… uh… A long story."

His reply did both surprise, and intrigue me…

"I've got all the time in the world."  
"It also is not for your ears."  
"Aw, come on. I always love a good story."  
"My story is not a good one!" He finished his sentence with a slight growl.

I took a step back and looked into his eyes… Something was there… Something had turned this once bright soul, black. I hoped that one day I would be able to pry it out of him… I wish my sister was here, Aleu… She knew how to get anything out of a boy.

"Then… Uh… I guess me and Kanai will be leaving now." I said.  
"That isn't necessary. I'd suggest helping you and Kanai to an old friend of mine. He is the alpha of a pack that… Let's just say I did not have a good experience with, but I know he could help… The Alpha, I mean."  
"Sounds great… Maybe there is a slim chance that Kanai's mother is there."  
"Couldn't hurt to try." Rusty said.

I couldn't help but smile at him as he spilled his plan to help us… To help Kanai find his home. I knew I wouldn't find mine… But something deep inside me wanted my home to be with Rusty. I shook the thoughts away, once again I was thinking too far ahead. We had barely met… But I'd be lying if I said he wasn't attractive.

"Say… What is your name anyway?"  
"Rusty ma'am. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier." He said with a bow.  
"Wow, you're such a gentleman… Wolves like you are rare… Or dogs… What the hell are you anyway?"  
"Well, long story short, I am part wolf, part something else."  
"What something else?"  
"I am half wolf. And that is all you need to know."  
"Fine… Come on Kanai. Rusty here is going to help us on our journey."  
"Yay!" Kanai jumped up with a bone in his mouth, but dropped it and ran to us.

Rusty walked up to his old den, a place he could almost call home, then did something that shocked us… He destroyed it. Pulling the main log down caused the rest to fall, and all that was left was a pile of old tree trunks. Something told me that he was not planning on returning.

He then walked off past me and Kanai, ignoring both of us, and I soon followed with Kanai by my side.

Balto, Siku and Jenna

The three canines were deep into the forest trail... One that Balto rarely ever followed to its end, nearly 15 miles past Dragon's fire, which was a marker set upon the highest mountain peak along the western Alaskan coastline. Even though it was nearly 30 miles inland, sailors and pilots alike used it as sort of a marker for Nome.

Today it was their marker home... Surely, without the complications of a blizzard to deal with, the three and at least even Jenna, could find their way home using their noses, but Balto wasn't going to take chances. He said that they would not leave the view of Dragons Fire, and if they could not see the peak, then they have gone too far.

Jenna and Siku walked together, with Siku more and more growing attached to the older couple as if they were her own parents. Jenna thought it was cute; and since Siku was Kodi's mate, they've all but adopted her as their own child at this point.

"You know... This reminds me of the time you had a similar travel with Aleu..." Jenna finally said back to Balto.  
"I suppose it is. Though, this time Saba knows who she is... And what she is, or whatever Aleu told me." He said with a slight chuckle.

"Let's hope it doesn't take two weeks and you coming home without my little girl again..." Jenna said.  
"But... I told you okay? Aleu is safe and sound with her own pack... Nava needed a successor, and Aleu fit the bill."  
"But what if she can't run a pack? What if-"  
"Listen... It's rare for a wolf pack to be run by a single female alpha... But Aleu is one of the most hard-headed, stubborn wolf I know. She will run her pack with pride..."  
"But there are dangers out there... What if someone attacks the pack! What if they go to war with another..."  
"See... You're still worrying about her... And that is fine. But you don't see me worry for one second. You know why?"

Jenna turned her had as if she was asking why, but didn't say it.

"Because she takes after me."  
"Let's say, hypothetically, she were to come across an unknown in her territory... She wouldn't kill them... I know she wouldn't. She'd give them a fair reasoning and see why they decided to come in the first place."  
"That sounds like her... Maybe you're right... But... We're so far out, why can't we visit her?"  
"I'd give anything to see my little girl again... Saba too... Which is why I am out here looking for my daughter. I don't look for Aleu... Because she's found her home already. Why would I look for her at home?" Balto said.  
"You sound like your mother." Jenna teased.  
"Well, admittedly we can't visit her because she's gone to the very same place we've named her after."  
"The Aleutian Islands?" She asked.  
"Correct. Remember I told you about that ice bridge? Well ever since that one time, years ago, not once has the ice bridge returned..."  
"I check every month of the cold season..." He added.  
"Really? Wow... How did I not know about this?"  
"I don't know... It just seemed like my thing"  
"That's going to change... From now on we will do this together..."  
"That's what I like to hear."

Balto nudged Jenna forward as the two looked at Siku. She had not said a single word and seemed to ignore their conversation completely... She was sniffing for something this entire time.

"Find something Siku?" Balto asked.

She only flicked an ear back at him, but surprisingly Balto understood, even confusing Siku a bit.

"She's concentrating... Taking the time to respond back could throw her off the faint trail already."  
"Wow, you wolves have some secret language I don't know?"  
"Well, I've already taught you how to read howls, so to you, nope."  
"I wonder what she's got..."

Balto got low to the ground, muzzle just a few millimeters from the soil, and tried his best to cypher out any scents... Nothing. Whatever Siku caught onto was one that he could not. Perhaps it was due to her full wolf side versus his half tainted side.

"Siku, at least let me know if the scent you're following is important..." Balto asked.  
"It is. You'll see." She replied without changing her position.

Balto looked at Jenna and shrugged his shoulders then the two watched Siku run off.

"She's got something... Maybe it's Saba!" Balto said with happiness.

The two ran off after the small white wolf, and quickly lost her trail... But then, her growling could be heard from the other side of Balto...

"Siku... Wait, it's me! What are you-"

Jenna yelled in horror as Balto was jumped by a random flash of white, and upon further review, it was a wolf that they were dealing with…

Siku growled and attacked the wolf... But it wasn't a wolf, perhaps some type of hybrid? It didn't matter though.

Siku jumped onto its back, ready to kill it using her trademark move, but this attacker was a crafty one. He threw Siku off and slammed her against a tree, knocking the wind out if her. Helpless, she watched as Balto's attacker stared her down with two beaming silver eyes... Who was this monster?

Alex growls and snaps at Balto, and Balto was ready to accept his fate... Yet... The wolf hybrid did not attack.

"Agh, god damnit!" Alex yelled, and then he jumped off from on top of Balto, who instantly found his feet again.  
"You... You again... What are you doing in my territory?"  
"This is not your-"

Balto was jumped by Alex yet again, but he did not allow it this time. He flipped him over and pushed off with his hind legs, causing Alex to hit the ground hard.

"Heheh, you out up a worthy fight... Had I wanted to kill you, I would have already..."  
"But I know you wouldn't." Balto said.  
"What the hell is going on here!?" Jenna said. She sat back and watched the whole thing with both terror and confusion fighting in her mind.  
"Jenna, meet the son of Amarok, aka the 'demon wolf'" Balto said, mocking his own words and putting a funny twist on 'demon wolf'.

Jenna and Siku looked at him with a confused face... He was introducing him as if he wasn't a visions killing machine that he was.

"Pleasure to meet you, Jenna. And the little one here?"  
"Siku... And if you think I'm going to stand by and allow you to throw me like that, you've got another thing coming!"

Siku charged Alex, who stepped out of the way, expecting Siku to fly past him and hit a tree. He had already begun laughing, as he thought he got a good read on Siku... He's dealt with the blind fury type fighters in his day, and he's mistaken Siku as one of those.

As he turned to chuckle at Siku's failure, he felt a sharp tingling pain in his tail.

He yelped in pain and instantly jumped the smaller wolf...

"_Why does this seem so familiar? It's as I I've done this before..." _Alex thought.  
"That's enough, Alex. Siku is our friend, and admittedly, our only guide in this mess."

Alex smiled at the smaller wolf he had pinned under him, she was still growling and snapping at him furiously.

"Fine." He said, then released her.

Siku stood and shook off the dirt and leaves from her coat, and walked over next to Jenna and sat down. She had a look of sadness as if she had been beaten.

"Don't feel bad, Siku. If it means anything, you've put up a worthy fight compared to most of the assholes I deal with."  
"The feeling is mutual." Siku replied coldly.

Alex chuckled a bit, then walked over to Balto.

"Now, I'll ask you again. What are you doing in my territory? The last time I saw you, you were all but dead as your team had crashed in the middle of a blizzard."  
"We're here looking for our daughter, Saba." Balto said.

He looked at the two sitting to their right, and motioned towards Jenna as of to ask: _"you and hers daughter, right?"_

Balto nodded and gave him a look that said: "_come on man, the white wolf is but a year old..."_

"Anyway, I cannot help you more than tell you that not a single scent of any wolf or dog matching yours has come across my territory."  
"I'd refer you to someone I know... Someone I know who can help you... Someone I used to be able to call... Friend."  
"Really? It'd mean a lot, thank you."  
"Your thanks isn't needed, nor is it necessary."  
"His name is Black Eye, and as soon as you recognize the large gray wolf. His eyes are a shade of Chrysler green, and you will recognize the white patch of fur that starts from under his jaw, down to his chest."  
"Very well, where can I find this 'black eye'?"  
"Two miles west of south peak. He knows everything that leaves or enters his territory and he claims the better part of the entire western Alaskan frontier. If anyone knows about your daughter, he'd know."

Balto bowed to Alex, and walked off with Jenna and Siku following.

"Nice moves back there, Alpha Supreme."  
"What the hell did you just call me?" Siku yelled back.  
"Alpha supreme...?" Alex teased with a smile.

Siku was more or less confused by this, and could not, for the life of her figure out why that name had meaning. She quickly set her thoughts aside and left Alex behind, turning her head back to him about 3 more times as she got further away, and he simply sat there looking back at her every time.

"Haha... Good luck you three... And you find your daughter, Balto."

Alex walks back to his den and curls up for the night. Helping others... Wasn't his fortǄ, but he did not ever wish for a man to lose his daughter... That was one of the things he is proud to say he would fight for. Maybe it was his moral code, but had anyone else shown up in his territory like that, they probably would not have gotten away with their lives. Alex curled up a bit tighter as the cold air seeped down into his empty den, and slept alone. This lazy afternoon, a slight smile on his face as he felt content with helping someone else for once... But a thought did dawn upon him as he slipped away... Black Eye hated dogs, and even moreso, wolf hybrids.. Perhaps he should have mentioned that to Balto and company...

* * *

**W00t! Another character to tie into this story... Alex, AKA son of Amarok... AKA the 'demon wolf' belongs to 'Wolf Assassin 7477' whom I wish I knew his name so I could reply to him a hit more formally, but whatever.**

**Chapter 6 coming June 2015**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Saba and Kanai had been following Rusty for the past 4 hours, and it was about to be night once again. Kanai was walking the while time, impressing Saba since they must have crossed at least 20 miles at this point, but he was starting to get tired...

Kanai yawned and looked up at Saba.

"Tired Kanai?"

"A little. My feet are killing me!" He said with a jump, somewhat contradicting his own statement.

"We'll stop here for the night. You two settle in somewhere, I'll bring you dinner."

"Thank you, Rusty."

Rusty nodded to the two, and ran off, leaving Saba staring at a tree as she was lost in her thoughts.

"You like Rusty!" Kanai shouted.

"Haha, I do not. I'm only grateful that he took the time to help us all this... Time."

"Nuh uh, you like him!"

Saba smiled down at the pup... Had it been that obvious? All she did was thank him, and somehow Kanai got the she liked him... If it were the obvious to a pup, she wondered how it seemed to Rusty... Priorities. They had to find Kanai's mother, so for now, she will not say a single word to Rusty.

"You like rusty! You like rus-" Kanai stopped and looked behind him.

Rusty was standing there with a few rabbits hanging from his teeth.

"Oh, hey! That was uh... Fast." Saba said.

Rusty dropped the food for them and once again disappeared into the forest.

"Great you little tyke! He heard you!" Saba said with slight annoyance.

"Maybe it was a good thing." Kanai said.

Saba did find his words a bit confusing, but moved on to the food that Rusty brought. She stripped one of the rabbits, tearing the fur and skin off, then nudged it towards Kanai. She then took the second one and did the same. Both of them started tearing up the small meal, but at the end of it, both were satisfied.

Saba looked up at the sky, I was an amazing dark blue hue and the clouds in the distance were outlined with silver. The sun produced spectacular colors around the clouds, but all it did was remind her of home... Or... What used to be home.

Soon, she found a shallow dip just 20 feet or so from their earlier spot, and dug out a shallow den for the two to sleep at night. She curled up into a ball, as winter did in fact bring with it cold winds and night drops.

Kanai took his favorite spot yet again and jumped right in the middle of Saba, who formed a protective circle around the pup.

"I think I know how it will end up." Kanai said as he tested his head on Saba's stomach.

"Oh?" She asked.

"We are all looking for our home... Maybe our home is together?" He said absentmindedly.

Rusty.

_Maybe you've found the love, maybe you're too blind to see it._

Here I was again... Pathetic... That dog and her wolf pup back there will never know about my failure... I only hope they were well enough with a rabbit each...

I sat down now as I watched the caribou run free about half a mile down in a field, and replayed the events that caused me to miss my catch... Replayed and replayed...

I caught large game like that with no problem for the past two years... What stopped me this time?

I shook those thoughts away... Those... Failed thoughts, and walked back. I wasn't walking back to Saba and the wolf pup, no. I wouldn't sleep with them, or anywhere near them. It'd just give them a chance to bother me... But was that what I really was afraid of? No... I'd be lying if I said they bothered me. I've been so distant. Not wanting to even share my origins with the red husky, but one thing was for certain, and it hit me like a brick... Saba was, in fact the daughter of Jenna... And if I wasn't mistaken, daughter of Balto too.

At long last... Someone from Nome. The one place I trusty belonged. But I knew that she was as lost as I was at this point. Perhaps I could at least ask her how... Maddie was doing? And the good inspector! Yeah, maybe she could help me after all. Help me find my home! Or, at least what remained of it.

Not tonight though... I feel as of they are taking a liking to me... Saba cares if I live or die, and that is not how I want things. They do not have to waste their precious memory space on me, for I am nobody, and I should be nobody to them as well.

Tonight I will sleep alone again, and tommorow I will send them off in the right direction. They will have to leave me behind, but they will find something better. Hopefully, the wolf pups mother there. Hopefully, they'll forget about me and I could return to...

No... I don't want to return to that...

Rusty was fighting internally... One side wanted him to stay as far from Saba and Kanai as possible, the other wanted to join them in returning to Nome... He fought, and fought hard. Not even sleeping until 2 am, when Saba and Kanai had long ago slipped away into dream land. Rusty had dreams, sure he did... But they were not peaceful. They were not normal. They were not, happy dreams.

vvvvv

Rusty awoke to a familiar feeling... No, this wasn't familiar? No way it was... He felt like... Wait, out in the distance! It was Nome! At long last he had found his home!

He ran quickly to it with a smile on his face. The first time in over two ears. He barked and howled, not caring at all what the town dogs thought of him. They could all burn in hell. He ran and ran, straight to the little red two story house at the end of Main Street.

It was home...

He took a deep breath and slowly walked up to it.

"This is it... Do I even deserve it? I left them..." He thought.

He slowly... Slowly, walked up the two steps to the front door, and scratched at it.

Nobody answered.

He turned his head at an angle and tried to sniff out any scents.

Nothing.

In fact... No scents seemed to exist in the world. It was like his nose instantly went blind. Something else was not right either.

The town was empty.

He looked down Main Street, and the normal chaos of the midday from humans and dogs alike was absent. Not a single soul existed that day.

Rusty began to panic, and quickly pulled his key from around his neck off and held it in his mouth. He jumped up to the door knob and tried multiple times to put the damn thing in.

Success!

He turned the key and the door knob with it, and stepped back as the door slammed open with enough force to knock him a few feet away had he been right next to it.

"What the hell?..."

Rusty was frozen... This was not his home... Inside of the doorway was a single long hallway.

At the end of it was... A gravestone.

He feared the worse, but walked slowly to it...

"Aubrey..." A whisper called out to him, he ignored it and slowly walked forward.

"No... No... God no..." He thought as he shook his head.

"Aubrey... You came home..." The whispering continued.

"I... I am... I am here! M...Madeline?" He stammered.

Waiting a few seconds for a reply, he walked forward, down the long corridor to meet the one and only point of interest at the end of this hallway.

"N...no... It can't... Be" he said.

Rusty dropped down... His knees were simply too weak to carry him, but he didn't care. He fell to the ground and wept... And wept he did, as he read the tombstone...

_Madeline Aubrey._

_Fallen while at battle with the Diphtheria virus. May she rest in peace._

_1918-1925_

_All is lost, but not forgotten. We shall remember her not in her time spent in a hospital bed, we will remember her as she was, happy and free, running with her best friend in the world, Aubrey. Her dog, her protector, her partner in crime,, her friend, her everything._

Rusty finally moved after nearly an hour not wanting to even live on at this point... He had nothing to live for... What cruel tricks were God playing on him? Had it all been his fault? Had... Maddie passed because of his selfish need to help? All of it was trivial, in the fact that she was gone... His only human, the only one he could truest love, and trust, and care for. He had failed her.

"I've... F..failed you... Maddie... My sweet sweet Madeline..."

Rusty curled back up, but did not cry... At long last, he was at peace... Maddie was gone... He could finally end his miserable existence on this earth, and not have to worry about someone else missing him.

"You have not failed me... Aubrey." The voice whispered.

"M...maddie?"

"Yes... I am okay Aubrey... But are you?"

"I... God maddie, if you're okay then I am!"

"Good... Now come home Aubrey... We need you."

"I... I don't understand?"

Rusty panicked and ran towards the source of the voice. Out the door and into the middle of the street.

There, at the end of it, just fifty feet ahead of him, stood a little girl.

"What... Madeline!" He yelled with happiness.

He ran to meet her... But she simply vanished.

Rusty fell to the floor, for he was half expecting that... Who was he kidding? He knew she was gone...

With one last look, he read the sign on the building that Maddie had led him too.

_Nome children's hospital._

"I... I made it back maddie... I did... I told you I would be back..." He said as tears streamed down his face.

"I never doubted you for a second, dear."

"But... You have to do something for me..." She added.

"Anything... My life is meaningless of it cannot please you... What do I have to do?"

"Find your home... Please, Aubrey... Find your home..."

Rusty awoke with a jump, nearly a foot high as he examined the area around him. He was still in the same spot, overlooking the sleeping husky and wolf pup, but not too close so that they could see him. His breathing was labored, and his heart still racing.

What was his nightmares trying to tell him? He had nightmares, sure, but last nights' was different. For the first time ever in his dreams, he spoke with the one he loved... He spoke to a soul that was not there. What was it trying to tell him?

"Find your home... Please, Aubrey... Find your home..."

Find my home? I have no home... Unless...

"Let's go! Get up." He yelled to the sleeping two.

"Ugh... What time is it?"

"About 8am, now get to your feet. We've got a long trek ahead of us and I'd like to get you there today and not have to wait another night."

Saba nodded with her eyes still half closed, and gently picked Kanai up by his neck. The pup didn't even move as he was too tired to do so.

Rusty already ran ahead of the two, and led them towards a single peak in the distance.

South peak. Black Eye and his pack were about two miles west of that.

* * *

**Sorry if this seems rushed, but I typed this on my iPhone while on a fishing trip... Yeah...**

**I'll admit. I love writing about Rusty, but I am limited on what I can write about him, for I only have licences him for a few chapters, and the true meaning of this character can only be portrayed and read by the amazing work of Amari412. If you're reading this, and have not yet read 'What about now', then what the hell are you doing here? Ignore this crap and read her story! Now! lol**

**Anyways, that June 2015 is an old reference to the 5 disney movies they decided to announce coming 'Soon' being June, 2015... Why they decided to announce that 3 years prior seems like a joke to me. Chapter 7 isn't too far away, don't worry.**


	7. Chapter 7

_"Find your home... Please, Aubrey... Find your home..."_

Rusty growled loudly and protested against the words in his mind as Saba and Kanai watched him. He seems to have been struggling internally for the past two hours of their trip, and Saba was starting to get annoyed by it.

"What is it Rusty? Something there?" She asked.

"No… Nothing really. Nothing for miles in any direction. We should be fine."

His response was expected, but to Saba, he seemed normal enough, though even Kanai would have noticed something wrong with him.

Speaking of Kanai:

"Saba I want to walk now." He said in a soft voice.

Saba gently placed him down in the snow and he instantly ran up to Rusty. He growled softly and bit at his front legs, but he paid no mind to it.

"Kanai, leave Rusty alone. Now isn't the time to play."

"Aw, come on! I'm bored!"

Rusty ignored the two for the next 5 minutes as Kanai retracted to walking next to Saba. Rusty on the other hand felt bad for him and figured he could let Kanai at least feel helpful.

"Say, Kanai. You want something to do? See if you can find out which way we need to go next." Rusty said.

The three of them stopped and looked down their path. There were several paths that could be taken, and one would eventually lead to South Peak… The others led to a dense forest that would make it nearly impossible for them to pass once they reached the cliff face along the mountain.

"Yes yes!" Kanai jumped excitedly.

He ran up and looked down each path, specifically avoiding the one that was dark and had scary looking trees. Then he saw the one that led to the west a bit, and one that South Peak could be seen out in the distance.

"Uh… I chose that one!"

Kanai jumped and sniffed around for a bit, leaving Saba and Rusty sitting next to eachother watching as he walked around.

"You do know which way to go, right?" Saba asked.

"Of course I do… I think." Rusty joked.

Saba looked at him confused, he was hard to read, and she had an even harder time figuring out that he was joking. She looked at his profile, the wolf-dingo was ever vigilant of the pup no matter where he went, and even that intrigued her. It was as if he liked the pup. Perhaps it reminded him of himself? Or a sibling? Or… His child. Saba had no idea. He did look old, though not old in a sense of age, more, experience. Maybe he fathered a litter or two in his days, and he watching over Kanai was simple instinct.

"I smell wolves!" Kanai said.

"Impressive." Rusty said as Kanai returned to the two.

Saba giggled as Kanai jumped excitedly, happy to have been able to help, but froze when Kanai looked up at Rusty.

"You remind me of papa…" He said.

"Uh oh…" Saba thought.

Kanai started to cry at the images of his past began to pop up, and he grabbed onto Rusty's leg and cried into his fur.

"Hey… Get…" Rusty began to protest, but he couldn't push the little guy away.

He looked over to Saba, who seemed to have a look of fear on her, not expecting Rusty's reaction to the pup.

"It's okay." He said to her.

"Okay, okay Kanai… Let go of me." He said.

Saba gently pulled Kanai off of him and he turned to Saba's chest and cried some more.

Rusty gave a look at Saba, as if asking what was wrong with Kanai, and she only shrugged her shoulders.

"Why… Why do you say that Kanai?" Saba asked in a gentle voice.

Rusty could already anticipate it… And he knew what the wolf pup was going to say before he said it.

"Papa… He was… t…taken d...down by humans."

"Taken down?"

"A loud explosion and.. and he fell down…" Kanai struggled to explain.

"Damn humans and their guns…" Rusty said.

"My thought exactly…" Saba agreed.

"But you're a dog… "

"Let's just say, I've come to hate the humans as much as any wolf out here right now."

"Interesting. Anyway, you two settle here for the night. I'm going out for a hunt."

Saba nodded, and returned to Kanai, who was feeling a little sticky to her for some reason.

"Oh and... Take care of Kanai." He said as he motioned to the pup, who was sitting in the snow to their left, staring at the ground.

"Kanai… Don't worry. We will find your mother. And… I'm sorry… About… Your dad…"

Kanai slowly hugged Saba and soon his crying died down enough and he looked around.

"Rusty seems mean, but that's how my papa is too. I think it's just an act."

"Do you think that?"

"Yeah, I bet deep down he has a heart."

"I believe that too, Kanai." Saba said.

Saba held Kanai for a while… She couldn't imagine what he had seen… How any pup had to go through that, watching their own father die before them?

And all it did was refresh her hate for the Humans…

Rusty

I loved hunting, it was a good way to vent. I was angry… Why the hell was I angry though? And at what?

Kanai… He saw me as his father, after he watched his own father die… This isn't right for him. I'm no father, and he still has a mother. I had hope that by the time we find Black Eye, that we could find his mother... I really, truly did wish that Kanai could find his home, because I know all too well what it's like to feel helpless as a pup... And helpless against the humans at that.

I noted the location of Saba and Kanai, and ran off, looking to bring them a good meal, and to be honest, is as starting to feel hungers call all the same.

Downwind, about 200 meters, were a few muskoxen.

Settled, I chased them down, singling out the slowest of the bunch and jumped into its side, tearing into the soft part of its head. It cried odd sounds of pain and death as the other few simply ignored his cried and ran off.

It always intrigued me how most of the animals I chased down, seemed to operate in small groups, yet when I started to chase them, leaving behind one of their own seemed to not even bother them. It was an odd tactic... But it worked. No doubt about that, those other oxen would live to see another day. Not even feeling guilty as they're watched one of their own be killed...

Regardless, rules of the wild. Hunt or be hunted, savage or survivor. And I caught my prize. The amount of blood that poured from its neck alone was impressive, and probably was well over what the average wolf body could hold. Didn't matter to me though. I started striping pieces off, and got my own fill on the tougher areas. I was subconsciously trying to do Saba and Kanai a favor, by eating the parts I knew they couldn't, or rather, wouldn't.

Satisfied by my own catch, I dragged the rest to where Kanai and Saba slept. As I traversed the several hundred meters of snow I had time to think. Did it really bother me that much that Kanai saw me as his father? After a long while of thinking, I settled on: no it didn't. In fact, I think deep down, I felt proud.

Finding Kanai his home is my number one priority now. I don't care if it takes the next few months. This pup needed to find his home.

Balto, Siku and Jenna.

Siku walked slowly behind the couple as Balto tried his hand at detecting Saba. She laughed at his face when he failed to detect her. It wasn't his fault, because she couldn't detect her either.

"Great, we've officially lost her." Balto said.

"Yeah, I told you that miles ago..." Siku added.

"Well... Nothing to the left of us. It's just an endless frozen ocean that way."

"Perhaps it would be better to walk out on the ice?" Siku suggested.

"Are you crazy? What if we fall through?" Jenna said.

"Don't worry. This time of year, the ice could support one hundred wolves." Balto assured.

Balto smiled and looked at Jenna as if he remembered something.

"Well, if I recall correctly, it can't hold a bear up."

"Oh... Don't remind me. That was the first fight I've ever got in. And it wasn't even with another dog." Jenna said.

"Siku's suggestion is a good one, and I promise you. There will be no bears out there" Balto laughed a bit at her along with Siku.

The three walked out a good distance into the ice, and with the coastline in view, it was their best bet at trying to find their missing daughter. Surely they could see a dog, as much as her red fur stood out, amongst the ice snow and equally white trees.

Balto joked with Jenna about something, but Siku concentrated on her nose.

"Yeah, like the time you tricked Steele into that boiler. That's when I knew you were the perfect type of girl for me." Balto said.

"Man that was so long ago... I wonder if he still feels it."

"We can only hope."

Balto shook his head, then looked at Siku.

"Got something again? Is it the son of another god or something?"

"Nope, but I've got a feeling." Siku replied.

"Oh, was that who Alex was? Son of Amarok? Yeah, I've heard some people in town talk about him." Jenna said.

"Like what?"

"Well, that he is a killer and can't be trusted, and a whole bunch of other myths that I know can't be true."

"Yeah, I've met him once before... Way back before the Serum run. He's a nice guy who just has a bad reputation."

"Kinda like you used to be"

"What, the bad reputation part? Or being a nice guy?" Balto joked.

"Both" Jenna said with a smile.  
"Shut up I've got something!" Siku budded in as the two were about to kiss.

"What?"

"I... Can't be sure yet, but it's that way." Siku pointed a paw out towards the sea, away from land.

"How far do you think it is?"

"I can't be sure... But I can feel it, it's important, and it's drawing me a few miles out."

"Then I guess it's our best bet. We'll be safe as long as we don't hit the Whale Waters."

"What's whale waters?" Jenna asked.

"It's when you go too far, nobody is safe from a killer whale if it jumps out and grabs you from under. You won't even know what happened before you're in it's belly."

"That's scary... Do you think we should risk that?" She asked.

"It'll be fine. Plus, I trust Siku's nose better than my own... And just look at her."

Balto motioned Jenna to look at Siku, who didn't notice the two staring at her. She was very anxious, and twitched a lot, as if she wanted more than anything to follow the scent. Balto was sure that if they hadn't been around, she would have peed a bit.

Siku turned to them, and instantly straightened up.

"What?"

"Nothing. Lead the way you ol' hound dog." Balto joked.

Siku ran off from the two, heading in the direction of Norton Bay, and without anything to break the horizon, it was just an endless sea of white that matched the light blue hue of the sky above. The snow was fresh, which told Balto that the blizzard he saw in the sky, must have ravished this area too. He had no idea how Siku caught anything in this... But he was starting to recognize a smell too.

Within a mile of their destination Siku froze.

"What ...is it Siku?" Balto said in between labored breathing.

"Man, you're out of shape..." Jenna said.

"Hey, you and Rosie spent this time training." Balto argued.

"Yeah, you're both old, blah blah. But here is where the scent stops."

"Stops? What do you..."

Balto caught onto Saba's scent too, and followed it.

"Here!" Jenna said.

She held in her mouth, Saba's collar. It had Saba's name on it, along with Sam's number and a reward. Balto took a second to observe it further.

"So apparently Saba was only worth 80 bucks to Sam..." Balto said.

"One time Dixie went missing and her owners only offered 50$ to whoever could find her." Jenna said.

**(Note that I adjusted for inflation. 80$ in 1928 = roughly 1200$ today.)**

"Humans and money... Why they try and put a price on everything is confusing to me." Siku said.

"Good! So we've got her collar... Now where is she?"

"Don't you think it's wired that her collar is here, but not her?"

"I know Saba. In her rage from being kicked out of her home, she most likely took it off and tossed it. But I believe she's fine somewhere... Maybe even around here." Balto said.

His words assured Jenna, and even himself a bit. Siku, on the other hand remained skeptical. She believed something happened to her, and damn it all, she was going to kick the ass of whoever laid a finger on Saba.

"Come on, lets go. Her trail leads back to land this way." Siku said.

"Wait... I... Just give me a second." Balto said.

Siku turned her head at his sudden interjection, and saw that he was trying hard to catch onto a scent.

"Smells like... A wolf pup or something."

"Is... It me?" Siku asked.

"No... No. Defiantly younger. Much younger." Balto said.

"I found it too!" Jenna said rather over-excitedly.

"I don't smell... Oh wait..." She lowered her nose further. "Yeah... I guess I was just focusing on Saba more. All the more reason to follow her trail. If this wolf pup is as young as you think it is, then maybe it's lost, and found Saba to help." Siku suggested.

"That's a good theory..." Balto said.

"Well, I just know these things. Plus I was also lost as a pup... And at times... Findin someone, anyone, out here in the wilderness is a blessing."

"Way to make me feel bad..." Balto said as he lowered his head.

"Not your fault, after all, I finally found my home with you and Jenna! Maybe... Saba just needs to find hers."

"But her home is back with-"

"No way it is... He's a creep, and you know it. Threw her out because of money problems? Suddenly the sky seems clearer now." Siku said.

"Well. Saba always talked good about him?" Jenna added.

"Look, neither of you get it. She left for a reason... Look where we are! If she had simply been thrown out, she would have returned by now, and no way in hell shed be almost 10 miles out in the Ice fields." Siku argued, showing a bit of annoyed anger for the two blind canines before her.

Siku spoke the smartest words that neither Jenna nor Balto could think of. Saba was simply thrown out, then why didn't she come to them? Or her sisters, brothers, friends? Surely she wouldn't run many miles into the wilderness like this... Balto couldn't put a finger on it, but he knew something else had to have happened. Maybe if he talked with Sam a bit more... But it was too late now, plus they were finally hot on Saba's trail. If anything, she could shed light on her own disappearance.

"Let's go. Sun's going down." Balto said.

Siku smiled and walked ahead of them, once again locking onto the scent trail and leading the other two.

* * *

**Hmm... So Balto, Jenna and Siku are nearly a whole day behind Saba. They both were out on the ice when the sun was about to set... And I wonder what happened to that Demon wolf?**


	8. Chapter 8

Rusty

Both of them… Watching me as I brought the rest of the catch for their meal. Eyes peering into me as if expecting something. Saba more, as she was wondering why I left in such a rush. Kanai was more or less, still lost, and had his head in the snow. Poor guy. Then I decided to do something that I never thought I would ever do.

"Say, Kanai… If it means anything. I know how it's like, to lose someone."

I tried talking to the kid, but I even messed up at that. Saba shot me a look as I said those words. It wasn't a good conversation to have with a pup his age, let alone someone who has lost so recently.

"My Mother… She was a pure-bred Dingo. Heh, only about 1 in 5 could say they were pure-bred… Her name… Her name was Kajura."

Saba was amazed by his words. Two days with this guy and she barely got any info from him. Yet now, he was spilling his past. It must have taken a huge amount of power for him to do this…

"Hah, well. To make a long story short… The humans killed her off, and were within an inch of doing the same to me."

Saba looked at him with confusion, how would this help Kanai?

"But you know what? They didn't. I fought my way out of my problems. And that's what you need to do right now. Fight. Fight to find your mother."

If Saba was confused before, she was even more so now. Rusty obviously had no idea how to talk to a month old pup who's just lost his parents… He wasn't a war veteran, he was a pup. He didn't need a pep-talk, he needed caring, trusting words. But her confusion rose higher when Kanai reacted.

Kanai slowly lifted his head up to match Rusty's eyes, and nodded slowly.

"Good boy. Now you and Saba enjoy your meal. I'll scout ahead for a bit."

Saba watched Rusty walk off with a smile on her face. Rusty sure was good with kids, and she wondered how he would fare with pups of his own. For a split second, she suppressed her thoughts of wanting to _have his puppies_… It was a devious thought and she immediately shunned herself for them.

She growled for a second at her thoughts, then turned to Kanai.

"Wow, he took down a giant Ox like this himself?" She said.  
"It looks like it! He is strong…" Kanai said.  
"I noticed…" Saba muttered under her breath as she bore a devious smile.

Black Eye

Rusty admitted it, he told Saba and Kanai a little white lie. In reality, they had already reached their destination. Black Eye's territory. Over-watched by the green-sapphire eyes of the large wolf, Black Eye kept his territory closed and was not very welcoming as guests… But as always, Rusty was an exception.

Black Eye couldn't hide his smile as his old friend, Rusty showed himself from the bushes, escorted by two of the packs guards. Rusty took a second to look over the older wolf, as he certainly aged well since the last time he's seen him.

"Rusty you ol' sly dingo you. What brings you to my pack brother?"  
"What, I can't just drop by and say hello?"  
"Yeah… But don't you have some human babies to take and devour tonight?"  
"Oh trust me, I've looked." Rusty joked back.

His words were distant and unfocused, and this is something Black Eye caught on instantly. He wasn't a fool, and he knew that Rusty knew that he wasn't a fool.

"Serious time Rusty. You need something, and I know it."  
"Fine. I do need your help with something. There's a wolf pup… He's lost his pack. Father confirmed dead, and mother might still be out there."  
"You know I don't memorize every pack by name, but if you bring the pup to me, I'll see if I recognize it's scent."  
"Can do… But there is a slight problem."  
"Oh?"  
"The pup is not alone. Another has lost her home and wishes only to help the little one. You know me, so trust me when I say that her intentions are well and only meant good for the pup."  
"Why are you telling me this? I don't mind to allow a pup and a female into my pack."  
"Wolves yes, but…"  
"What are you saying Rusty?"  
"Well for starters her name is Saba."  
"And… Who gave her that name?"

Rusty froze for a second before answering. He knew Black Eye resented… No, hated, dogs with a passion. It stems from his irrefutable hate for the humans. He hated dogs, yes, but it was nothing to the fiery pits of torture and unimaginable hells that he wished beyond anything the humans would suffer for all eternity. Dogs are a byproduct of the human menace, therefore, dogs are hated as much.

"Most likely her parents."  
"Rusty…" Black Eye moved closer now, beaming his dark green irises directly into his soul.  
"Her mother was a dog, her father a wolf-dog hybrid."

Black Eye slowly turned from Rusty and faced the save entrance with his back turned towards Rusty. Only after about 10 seconds or so, Rusty got the message. Black Eye wanted nothing to do with him or his problem.

"I understand, friend. I won't bother you with this again and I'll make sure that dog doesn't step a paw-"  
"No, no… You say her intentions are for the good of the pup only… And that is mine. The pup is welcome, bring him to me. The… Dog… is not to come within a mile of my territory."  
"Fair enough." Rusty said.

Black Eye nodded slowly towards Rusty as he bowed in respect to the Alpha. A few of the pack members, who remembered Rusty from before snickered as the dingo/wolf hybrid stumbled down the cliff-face and into the forest. All eyes were on their Alpha yet again, wondering why the wolf-dingo returned.

"That was an old friend of mine… I trust his word with my life, and I want you all to do the same. Respect him. Respect him as much as you would me… For he's suffered much more than we have." He said.

Black Eye quickly turned form his pack and retreated into his den. A newfound hate for the humans were refreshed and it nearly caused him to boil over… But help a pup he must. It's a promise he made, but only half of it.

"_To help a pup in need, or a female in distress_" A motto to live by, and a promise he made to his one and only.

Black Eye sighed as he hung his head low. He's breaking his promise already. The female, be it dog or not, was also in need of help.

Regardless, he wasn't letting a dog anywhere near his pack, and he was ready to tear it to shreds if he so much as caught the slightest scent from it.

Balto, Jenna and Siku.

For what seemed like hours, was nothing but a faint trail for them to follow. It led them in circles… Led Balto into confusion and anger, led Siku into distrust and pessimism, and led Jenna into hopelessness and depression. Saba ran, and ran she did, further than any mail run Kodi had ever gone on. Further than Aleu did when she ran from home. Further… Than Siku the day she was forced to do the same.

"That's it… You two go home, I'm going on alone." Siku valiantly spoke.  
"Ha. You're funny when your mad."  
"Mad? I'm not mad. Maybe a little mad, if you mean mad as in crazy. Yes I'm a little crazy. But I'm finding Saba. I'm finding my sister."  
"Love the energy Siku, but it's okay, really. Saba is more than capable of taking care of herself out here." Balto said.

This time, he was nearly tackled by both Siku and Jenna for making such a dumb statement.

"What… What? Are you kidding- Did you really just say that?" Siku stammered in-between anger.  
"My daughter is out here in the harsh wilderness and you think she can fend for herself?" Jenna asked in a much softer tone than Siku.  
"Look, just trying to stay positive."  
SHE CAN'T EVEN HUNT!" Siku yelled.  
"And she's got a wolf pup with her! What idiot brain do you have to think she can survive out here alone!" Siku added.  
"Alright, jeez. Calm down Siku. We're all a bit frustrated."

Siku froze up, anger still boiling over, but retracted herself and walked off with a growl. Only when she turned around did she notice there was another character watching over them, hidden from view in the trees above. It didn't take her long to recognize the scent more so than actually seeing this character.

"Oh great, the frickin' Son of Amarok shows his stupid face again." Siku said in anger.  
"Alex? What are you doing out here?" Balto asked.  
"Eh. Was bored. Thought Id help you guys find your daughter, and by the looks of it, it seems like everyone is getting along nicely." Alex said.  
"What can you do loser?" Siku said.

Alex jumped down from the tree and got to within inches of Siku's – Still angry – face.

"Tough talk. From such a cute little package." Alex said.

He patted her head a bit as Siku never lowered her stance with her teeth shown. Alex simply patted her head with a soft chuckle and walked past her, ignoring her gaze as it shot into the back of his head like a laser beam.

"Your daughter, Saba, is it? Isn't alone. This you know, but what you don't know is that the pup isn't her only company."  
"What do you mean?" Jenna asked.  
"My, my, she looks identical to you. Are you sure you're not her sister?" Alex said with a smile.  
"Oh, how nice, but I'm not that young." Jenna blushed a bit.

Balto wasn't the jealous type, no, but it was more of Alex's stalling that caused him to grow impatient.

"Okay, enough of the compliments, my daughter?" Balto interrupted Alex's gaze onto Jenna.  
"Right. Well, she's traveling with another mutt, goes by the name of Rusty, or Aubery, I don't fucking know. Anyway, he's even more demented than I am. I don't trust this guy, but Saba obviously does."  
"Aubery… That name does sound a bit familiar" Jenna said.  
"It should. He used to be stationed in your town years ago, as a police dog." Alex explained.  
"Yeah… Yeah! I remember him! He was half something, half wolf… It wasn't dog…" Jenna said.  
"Dingo." Alex corrected.  
"Dingo?" Balto asked, confused.  
"No clue. As far as I know maybe his mother swam her ass from Australia to Alaska."  
"Well, do you know where they're going?"  
"Sadly, no. I know where they might be going, and that's about it, and even that is a long-shot."  
"Last time… You said they might be heading to someone named Black Eye?" Balto asked.  
"Yep. But here's the funny little secret! Black Eye hates dogs, and would most likely skin Saba alive." Alex said almost absent-mindedly, ignoring the affect it had on the other three.  
"Oh god, why would you say something like that?"  
"What? It's the truth. I never lie."  
"Yeah, bullshit." Siku finally said from behind him.  
"What was that dear?"

Alex walked up to Siku and sat in front of her.

"Go ahead. You're still mad at me from earlier, so go ahead. Strike me, come on!" Alex snarled.

Siku smiled and planned her next move.

"As you wish."

She jumped him and flipped him onto his back, suprising Balto, Jenna, and even Alex, who retaliated and flipped her back over.

"Ugh, there they go again…" Balto said.  
"Yeah, if I didn't know any better, I'd say they liked eachother."  
"Do not!" Both Alex and Siku yelled back as they froze in their fight.

Balto snickered a bit as he watched the two wolves, who were frozen in combat. Jenna's words caught them off-guard, and they were so determined to deny her words that they didn't notice how they were positioned.

Siku was ontop of Alex's back, and had her arms around his waist. Had it been the other way around, an on looking human would probably film it to document two wolves mating in the wild.

Siku blushed and jumped off of Alex, who simply stood there for a while longer.

"Let's just… Uh, move along now." Balto said to diffuse the tension.  
"See ya later Alex" Jenna said.  
"Yeah, thanks for the help, I really owe you one." Balto said

Alex watched the three leave again, but one thing seemed to stick in his mind as he watched them. Siku was too young for him, yeah, that was it. He now had a reason to dismiss any feelings he had for her.

Settled, Alex moved on and returned to his den.

* * *

**Hmm… Siku and Alex act very weird around eachother… **

**Well, everything is out on the table now. Black Eye knows of the wolf pup, and of the female dog, Rusty knows of Kanai's past, Saba and Kanai know of Rusty's past, Balto, Jenna and Siku now know of Rusty.**

**I really hope I didn't piss off either of the owners of these OC's as even I'll admit they're a bit weird in this chapter...**


	9. Chapter 9

Saba_chap_9

* * *

Saba and Kanai, bored.

Kanai was more of a pup than Saba, so he was who'd you expect to be playing around… Instead, Saba was the one who spent the last hour or so trying to build something with the snow. She knew what she wanted to make in her mind, but Kanai just sat there watching her, confused. Kanai laughed as Saba tried to roll a ball of snow, only to have it fall apart and cause her to sigh in defeat.

"What are you trying to do anyways?" Kanai finally asked.  
"I'm building something, duh." Saba replied.  
"What are you building?" Kanai asked.

Saba looked at him as he angled his head, pointing his right ear up.

"Well, you cutie-pie, you'll just have to wait until I finish."  
"Okay… If Rusty doesn't get back soon what will we do?"  
"Nothing, he'll come back eventually."

Saba replied to him at the same time she was pushing a ball of snow around to build it up.

"How can you be so sure?" Kanai asked.  
"Jeez, you're the pup here, why are you so negative?"  
"Well, I may be the pup here, but it doesn't look that way."

Saba removed her nose from the snow and looked up at Kanai. She tried to stare him down seriously, but a bit of snow on her muzzle melted, and a cold sliver of water dripped down her nose, crossing her whiskers and causing her to…

"AAAA—AAA-AAACHOOO" Saba sneezed, leaving her face contorted and making her sniffle a bit after that.

Kanai laughed a bit at her futile attempts at trying to act serious.

"Okay you little fuzzball. What do you want to do?"  
"Uh… I don't know! Something fun!"  
"Yeah, and I was the pup…" Saba smirked.  
"What were you doing before? I'll help!"  
"Okay. Try and make a good sized snow-ball, maybe… half a foot across."  
"I can do that!"

Saba plopped down in the snow and watched the wolf pup go to work. She was surprised by his efforts, because within half of the time it took her, Kanai had a larger snow-ball to show for it. Saba and Kanai worked together to build a snowman. Alien to Kanai, but something common to Saba, as it reminded her of her childhood. Jenna and Balto once showed her and her siblings how to make one, and together, they built one larger than the human kids of the town could.

Sure, it was a fun pass-time, but when night fell and the snowman was completed, Saba began to worry.

Where was Rusty?

Balto

Balto led this time, eager to reach South Peak. Siku and Jenna walked a bit behind him, as they began to gossip, and talk… Balto wasn't intentionally trying to listen to them talk, but words of "going into heat" were heard, and that was one topic Balto wanted to stray far from. He kept his distance, and kept hard on the trail, eyeing their destination that broke free of the trees above, and even cut the sky a bit, forming trails of cloud-cover. And all this time, Jenna and Siku enjoyed their own conversations.

Jenna was talking to Siku about Kodi now; asking Siku how her son treated her was something Jenna did often. Jenna believed that, if Kodi wasn't treating a girl right, then she had failed to raise her son. Siku caught onto this early, so she mostly just told Jenna everything good, unless she wanted to get back at Kodi for something.

"Then I told him "So what? It's just a collar." And he snapped at me saying "oh yeah? Well at least I have something of value", then he began apologizing like a little kid." Siku laughed.  
"That didn't bother you?"  
"Not really. I'm not one to be offended by such nonsense… But Kodi sure seemed to think he hurt me somehow, because later he brought some flowers for me."  
"Aw, how sweet"  
"More like cliché as hell, then yes. I'm more of a "bring me juicy bones" kind of girl."  
"You and I the same… I mean, the night of our engagement, Balto brought me flowers too, and the only bone I want… I liked-… The uh… Moonlight." Jenna lost her smile and stammered, blushed, as she stared back at Siku.  
"Come on, I know what you were going to say."  
"Well, anyway. I'm glad you and Kodi make such a good couple… You guys are so cute together, you know?"  
"You wouldn't know it if-"

Just then, Jenna stopped Siku, who looked at Balto, who looked back at Siku and Jenna. Something wasn't right, and a quick read from Jenna's nose told her that they were not alone in these woods.

"Oh great, the wolves have surrounded us…" Siku thought aloud.  
"Girls! RUN!" Balto yelled out.

Before either of them could react, Balto ran straight into the forest beside him and jumped a wolf, who was hiding behind the thick brush. Jenna and Siku ran, but looked back as they heard the intense growling coming from the battle, and within a second, as many as ten wolves filled this small clearing. Siku was most scared of all, and snuggled close to Jenna, who held her tight, wishing simply for these wolves to leave them free.

Balto growled, snarled, bit and fought the wolves as best he could, and just when he thought he was winning, a wolf grabbed him by his fore-arm and twisted it, breaking his wrist in the process.

The same wolf dragged Balto to Jenna and Siku, and threw him down. Above all, Balto's whimpering and cries of pain out-weighted the rest. Siku was not going to stand by this…

She quickly examined Balto with her mouth open in awe, but that instantly turned to teeth shown, and a snarling, ready to attack, stance at the wolves. She jumped over Balto and grabbed onto one of the wolves, successfully pinning it on the ground, before she quickly ripped at its face and neck, using teeth and claws, like razors they were, but the wolf easily recovered and ran off with it's tail between it's legs. Jenna wasn't the fighting type, so she huddled around Balto, further assessing his injuries.

Siku only had 15 seconds to enjoy her victory before another wolf knocked her out cold with a single hit, dragging her smaller body away, and being led by a much larger, black wolf. Jenna and Balto were too dragged off towards their Alpha, and all that could be seen around them was the thick forest, meaning they had no idea where they were.

"Black Eye"… Balto thought.

He gritted his teeth, and tried to call out to Jenna, but she was too far behind, being led by another small group of wolves. He tried his best to get a headcount… 10…15… twenty… There were too many for him to count, let alone while he was being dragged on the ground.

"God damnit Alex." Balto thought.

Black Eye

Black Eye was not in a good mood, a good portion of his pack was out hunting, and have yet to return. Usually this wouldn't be such a problem, because this wasn't the first time that the pack struggled to find food. It was only this time, he felt a bit more irritated at his recent visitor, and his plead for help. Again, he wasn't angry either at the defenseless pup being separated from his pack, it was the dog… The dog. It was female though, and he remembered his motto… One he swore he'd never break, yet here he was, denying this Saba from coming anywhere near his territory.

Black eye allowed his thoughts to be broken, as the few of his pack finally came forth, and they had a few extras with them. First, a wolf dropped Siku in front of him, then dragged Jenna and Balto near her. Black eye took a quick sniff of each one and instantly developed a look of disgust.

"What! A dog?! Why did you bring them here. Orders are to kill only."

The leader of that group stepped up, he was a large wolf, not as large as Black Eye, but large enough to scare the socks off of anyone. Plus his fur was black as night... Well compared to Balto, who was a light gray.

"These we're found walking into our territory. The demon wolf aided them in finding us."

Black eye stared down Balto, who stared back with his face still twisted in pain.

"Balto. What are you and your mate doing here?"

Black Eye's words surprised everyone, including his pack, who expected him to kill the dogs on sight, yet he spoke to them as if he knew them already.

"Argh... How do you know my name?"  
"Stupid question. Word of you and your valiant heroism has spread to every human ear around the world, and it has not escaped the likes of my pack."  
"We are here looking for our daughter, nothing else."

Black eye seemed to get even angrier with Balto as he said this, but as wise as he was, he knew exactly who Balto was looking for. It was that female dog... The female, Black Eye refused to help in her time of need. He paused to think for about a minute, before turning back with a growl.

"Kijo, Hamlet, take these 'dogs' to a holding den before I turn and rip their heads off."  
"Yes sir, what of the wolf?"  
"Why is she out cold?"  
"Uh... Someone hit her!" Kijo replied.  
"You never harm a female! Whoever hit her, hit them twice as hard, that's an order!"

Black eye yelled to the crowd, and the wolf that hit Siku was instantly singled out. Kijo walked up to him, and he lowered his head with a whimper. One swift knock to the muzzle and he was out, face first into the snow.

"Now that's taken care of... One of you go and find Rusty... Tell him I've got the dogs parents..." Black eye ordered, then turned and walked away.

Rusty Saba and Kanai.

It was dark already... Not that it mattered. Once I reached Saba and Kanai, they could barely be seen since the moon was behind cloud cover, and the trees above did their best at eating up any light that remained. I followed my nose, and sniffed along the ground to find exactly where they slept. As I followed what seemed like the paw prints of Kanai, I began to hear a child's laughter… Was it Kanai? No… This was human… Then, before me, something caused me to gasp and jump back in instinct. It shot me back to a point in my past I had tried to hard to lock away, and this just had to refresh it.

**The snowman...**

Flash back, Nome, 1922

How happy I was... Not a single thin could bring me down this moment, as long as I had Maddie by my side. We were out in the snow, training to become the greatest musher in the world... Ha, as if. I was a police dog, trained to take down those who thought they had endurance, not have endurance.

We were just a few meters from town, defiantly not too far so that the good inspector would be worried, but defiantly far enough for me to keep a watchful eye of my human. She laughed byherself, whether she knew I could laugh with her or not, she was laughing at me, as I nearly fainted at the short run. In y defense, training down at the station had run me to the brink, and Maddie's sled wasn't exactly a cheap cardboard knock off. But I loved her enough to give it my best shot... And best shot I did.

She stopped her little giggle and came over to let me free of my leads before hugging me. I enjoyed her warmth, her smell, her knack for not having a care in the world. She lived in the moment. Something I wished I could learn. I wondered why she had brought me outside of town, but I learned soon enough. See, Maddie was lonely, since we moved down from Anchorage, she hadn't had the best of luck making friends, and I the same. If I hadn't joined the police force, I might have ended up on the other side of the bars, as I wasn't exactly the most social out here.

Maddie started to gather snow, and I sat patiently watching her as she rolled a snow ball larger and larger until it formed the base of something. What was she doing? Well, whatever I was, it made her happy, so by extension, it made me happy. After a while, her creation became apparent, it was what she called a "snow-man". Defiantly not something I saw in the outback, but it intrigued me.

I walked up to sniff at it, because something that looked this menacing could easily be a threat in disguise. I moved up to the face, she had used a stick and a few rocks to form somewhat of a face, and cocked my head at a slight angle as I was confused at what Maddie had just created.

It looked like a very disfigured human, roughly the size of Maddie herself. It's eyes were rocks, that much I knew, but who's to say this threat couldn't still smell. I gave it a gentle nudge with my muzzle, and to my surprise, it moved! I jumped back a few feet as the smaller top half of the snowman crumpled to the ground and soon it was nothing but a pile of snow and rocks.

"_Rusty? Rusty!"_

Saba and Kanai

"Rusty… Rusty? Hellooooo?" Saba said.

Rusty jumped back as the snowman before him fell in the same fashion as it did all those years back, only this time it wasn't Maddie's innocent laughter, it was a red-furred paw waving in front of his nose that woke him. He stared at Saba and tried his best to slow down his breathing. She looked at him like he was crazy… "_Maybe I am_" Rusty thought.

"What? I was just admiring your… Snowman."  
"Well Kanai helped, and I don't think he'll be so happy when he finds out you knocked it down."  
"Eh, I'll make it up to the little guy. How long have you guys been asleep?"  
"Few hours… Listen, what's wrong with you?"  
"What?"  
"I'm asking… But I don't know how to… Ask"  
"Well? Spit it out."  
"What happened in your past?"  
"What makes you think anything happened?"  
"You told Kanai that you've lost your mother, and just now Kanai's snowman nearly caused you to faint… I was calling your name and you ignored me"  
"Maybe I was just lost in my thoughts. Or just tired… I walked a long way."

Saba wasn't satisfied, and she knew he had something to hide. Fortunately for Rusty, Saba was not going to try and pry it out of him just yet. Rusty shook his head and turned away towards Kanai. He tried to change the subject.

"I went ahead and talked to Black Eye by myself. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but it wasn't my original plan anyway."  
"Really? What did he say?"  
"He said that all he needed was a quick scent sample of Kanai and he'll be able to point us in his pack's latest known location."  
"It's a start at least…"  
"Yes it is, but there is one more thing" Rusty paused for a second and this time turned to Saba. "He hates dogs"  
"Oh great."  
"Well… Not dogs per-se, it's just the fact that you are the Human's creation, and he hates Humans with a passion."  
"So do I!" Saba argued.  
"Doesn't matter. You're a dog, and you will stay here. I'll take Kanai to him in the morning, get the best direction to go in, and come back for you."  
"Fine. I guess it's the only thing we can do."  
"Good, now go back to sleep. I'll go keep watch."

Saba nodded and then turned back to Kanai, snuggling around the pup to keep him warm, and drifted to sleep quickly. Her last few moments awake were spent watching Rusty as he lie out in the open, watching the trail and facing the other way. Perhaps he was just a cold-hearted wolfdingo… No need for her to try and "fix" what isn't broken.

* * *

**Sorry for the delay on this one. I had to research some things because this story is tied to two others… So I had to make sure all references were in check lol**


	10. Chapter 10

Morning

It was early morning, early enough for the sky to show off a strange hue of light blue, but not late enough that you could easily see your surroundings. Due to this, Saba awoke to a rather surprising visitor whom she wasn't able to see right away. It was a grey wolf and he was currently sniffing at Rusty, who was still locked away in his sleep. How he had not detected the potential threat both surprises, and worries Saba…

Saba didn't move, but she could tell that this wolf didn't mean harm. Maybe he had a message? She didn't trust wolves fully, so this may have come out hesitant, but she resisted and spoke up anyway.

"Psst, can I help you sir?" She asked in the most respectful and polite way she could think of.

The wolf didn't answer, but instead walked up to her causing her to freeze, watching his looping eyes as he neared her. Eyes that, in the low light of morning stood out like they were laser beams aimed directly for her own eyes. The wolf only stopped before her and bent down a bit, taking a sample of both hers, and Kanai's scents. After only five or so seconds, he froze, satisfied with the sample, and growled. No doubt a huge wolf like this growling in a deep tone like thunder would scare the socks off of anyone, but Saba didn't even take notice in it.

"Dog. I am of Black Eye's pack. Come with me, we have your mother and the wolf hybrid." He spoke.  
"Oh… Okay… What about Rusty and Kanai?"  
"Orders are for you only, now get up."  
"Okay okay." Saba said.

She gently uncurled around Kanai and placed him down where he was before… But it was a futile effort. Whether it was simply time for him to wake up, or maybe it was the lack of warmth that did it, Kanai sprung up into action and began to jump around a bit even before seeing the large wolf towering over him. He froze in his tracks and stared up at the giant wolf, and Saba prepared for him to be at least a little scared, if not intimidated. Instead:

"Whoa! You're a big wolf! I want to be as big as you someday!"

Even more suprising, was the wolf's reaction to Kanai.

"You will in time young one."

Even the wolf's voice changed to one that would appeal better to the pup, instead of the somewhat sarcastic and distant voice he used with Saba.

"Your pup is… Not your pup."

He seemed to want to ask a question about Kanai, or maybe even say something along the lines of "your pup is an energetic little fella, huh?" before realizing that it couldn't have been _her_ pup.

"Um… Yeah… About that-"  
"Don't care. You can explain to Black Eye. Now, awake your tracker and let's go." He said with an annoyed voice.

Saba looked at him for a second before turning away, then she quickly reached Rusty, who was only about ten feet away. She could have sworn that he slept further towards the open trail, keeping watch for potential dangers, but for all she knew the wind pushed him closer.

"Rusty… Rusty!" She shoved her paw into his side trying to wake him.  
"What, what? I'm awak-"

Rusty jumped up quickly and growled. As quickly as he was awaken, he took notice of the new smells, and marked the wolf as immediate danger. The wolf did the same, out of pure defense and instinct, but everything died down the second Rusty got a better scent from him.

"Agh, god damnit. Sorry Kijo." Rusty said.  
"Kijo, eh?" Saba teased with a slight giggle.  
"Something funny… Dog?" Kijo spat out the word "Dog" like it was acid.  
"Nothing, nothing!" Saba quickly replied and erased her smile.  
"Good, now that everyone's had their morning cup of coffee and biscuits, let's get back to the pack before Black Eye kills your parents." Kijo said.

Saba could notice Kijo's change in behavior as soon as Rusty awoken. He changed from distant, orders-driven, intimidating, to somewhat friendly, and kind. As if he and Rusty were good friends. Rusty of course, noticed this as well. The four walked on, with Rusty next to Kijo, and Kanai next to Saba.

"So Kijo. How's that wife of yours doing?"

Saba took a quick note that the two obviously knew eachother on a personal level.

"She's doing fine… And so is her other half."  
"Other half?"  
"She's… gotten fat I was trying to say… Didn't sound like it would in my head." Kijo chuckled slightly.  
"Well? Has her paw at least healed up alright?"  
"Oh, yeah yeah. Thanks to you of course."

Saba was all ears on this, curious as to what type of history Rusty and this, somewhat random, wolf had. They spent the entire way ignoring Saba and Kanai, and instead joked about their times when they used to hang out. From what Saba could summarize, Kijo was like the other wolves of Black Eye's pack, and would have teased and threatened Rusty the duration of his stay with the pack. But above all, when his mate was in trouble, Rusty was the only one to help, and for that, Kijo was eternally grateful. He had taken time to actually get to know Rusty. Learn his story… Or whatever Rusty deemed necessary to tell him anyways, and soon grew to respect the wolf-dingo.

Soon, Black Eye's pack was mixed in with their surroundings. Saba's nose readings were off the charts, with wolves behind every tree, and scent marks on everything else. There must have been a thousand wolves in this pack alone, and who knew how many followed Black Eye in his entire territory.

"I-" Saba wanted to ask Kijo something, but he instantly cut her off.  
"Do not speak words in our territory, dog. Unless you'd like those to be your last." He said harshly.

Rusty didn't even seem to care, let alone defend her, but instead shot her a "_I told you so_" look.

"Why _did_ Black Eye summon the _**dog**_ here anyways?" Rusty asked.

That somewhat angered Saba that Rusty would refer to her in that way, but she figured that he had to, in order for them to be safe in a pack of potentially hundreds of wolves surrounding them.

"Another dog was caught, as well as a half-blood, not unlike yourself haha."  
"Yeah, yeah."  
"They claim to be Saba's parents, but their words are useless. Everyone in this pack knows who Balto is. The "Human Sympathizer", the "Wolf traitor", the "tainted, unwanted _remains_ of the genepool"…"

Rusty snapped a quick look back at Saba as Kijo said this, not exactly to feel bad about what he said, more to make sure she didn't become furious and try something she would regret. He wasn't going to defend her from words anytime soon. Saba only let out a shallow sigh instead.

"To make matters worse, he mates with a Husky bitch and produces even more insults to our bloodline…" Kijo stopped mid-sentence, and talked in a lower tone.  
"I mean, um… You're okay though, Rusty. I've never really seen a Dingo, but judging by how you are, I suppose they're wolf like enough. At least you're not part… Domestic Dog." Kijo said.

"_Man this Kijo guy really hates me and my family for what they are…" _Saba thought.

Black Eye

Kijo led the three, five miles into the territory where Black Eye setup a den with Saba's parents there. Black Eye had since, let Balto and Jenna have more freedom, and even offered them some of their hunt for that day, to which they politely declined.

"What, you housepets too good for… "

Black Eye held his tongue and angrily turned towards his second in command.

"What's taking them so long. I don't know how much longer these two have."

"Why, what's wrong with them?" The wolf asked.

"They're in danger of being attacked." Black Eye said with a slight smile.

"Haha… Damn dogs." The wolf said.

Balto and Jenna could hear them loud and clear, not that they made any effort to conceal their conversation, most likely they wanted them to hear it. Balto carefully tried to put weight on his injured paw, and luckily, it held. The pack's healer did, albeit reluctantly, examined his paw, and made note that it was not broken, simply injured and would heal on its own in a few days. Already though, whether or not he was trying to show off to Jenna, he could stand and walk on the paw without much pain. The two somewhat guarded Siku as she was out cold, because already twice had another wolf tried to take her from them. Their reasons weren't clear, but she was the only pure wolf here and Balto was not going to lose her.

Saba and company finally showed, from the side of their den with three wolves around her. A pup, a large black wolf, and, what Balto could only perceive as being a part wolf of some type. Something was off about the wolf hybrid. He knew him…

Black Eye gave Saba a disgusting look, then nodded his head towards the den containing her parents. She was both surprised, and exited that her parents were here. Mostly the first one. Saba ran up to them, and Kanai, of course, followed close by her.

"Oh my god, mom? Dad? Why are you guys here?" Saba asked.  
"Well, duuuuh. We were looking for you!" Jenna answered.  
"Really? But…"  
"Saba, why the hell would you run off this far! What are you thinking!?" Balto said rather angrily at her.  
"I… I don't know."

Kanai sat quietly behind Saba for the most part, but his curiosity was at a high. He knew from the start that Saba was not a wolf, but seeing her dog parents – or mostly dog parents – was interesting to him. Dogs have always been the enemy, the ruthless killers, the mindless drones humans sent out to kill the wolves, yet these parents cared for their daughter like his mother would care for him.

"She… She saved my life!" Kanai finally said.

Balto and Jenna stared quietly at the wolf pup, who yelled from behind Saba.

"A wolf pup?" Jenna asked.  
"Yeah… I found him out in the whale waters. Little guy would have frozen to death had I not come across him." Saba explained.  
"Well, that sure is heroic of you, but that still doesn't explain why you ran so far from home." Balto said.

Siku's turn. Having awaken from her little "nap", she heard the whole conversation, and man was she furious.

"Balto! Shut your mouth!" Siku yelled from behind Balto and Jenna.  
"What… Ohey! You're awake!" Balto said.  
"Yes, and I awake to you _still_ trying to blame Saba for running away."  
"I'm not blaming her. Siku, I understand okay? I was just asking why she ran off."  
"I know that, so enlighten us, Saba. Why did you run off? Oh, and try to explain it like you would a day old pup, because your father apparently doesn't have common sense." Siku explained.

Saba thought for a few seconds. She knew what she had to tell them, she just didn't know how to. Kanai, first of all.

"Kanai, could you please go and sit with Rusty for now?"  
"Okay Saba."

Kanai walked out rather saddened by his forced removal from this interesting conversation. He walked out of the den and noted out the positions of everyone. Rusty was still seated next to Kijo and the two were having some type of Nostalgia trip. Kanai looked to the left and saw lots of wolves all working on their own thing. Families, taking care of children. Some of them cleaning out paths with their tails, others bringing in the pack's food for the day. It reminded him of his own pack before they were _obliterated_. And finally, he looked behind him and up, over his shoulder. Black Eye stood watch, looking back down right at him and him only. He cracked a small courteous smile at the wolf pup, then continued to look around at his pack members. Kanai smiled and walked over to Rusty like he was told.

Back in the den Saba had explained as best she could without getting to the forced mating part.

"But what set him off? I thought you said he loved you more than anything." Jenna asked.  
"He did… Just… Not anymore."  
"Oh no, did he get another dog?" Balto stupidly offered.  
"No…" Saba said annoyed.

Siku sat patiently next to Jenna as she listened to Saba explain her story. Something she got, but her parents obviously were too blind to see, was her skipping on details on purpose. There was something she wanted to say, but couldn't. Perhaps she couldn't tell her parents, but would rather explain to her instead.

"Saba, how about just you and me talk. Sister to Sister."  
"Wait, since when are you my-"  
"Nevermind that."  
"Oh, well. Okay then."

Siku shot a smug look at Balto, who shook his head with a smile and looked back at Jenna. Saba and Siku walked off to the other side of the den.

Saba found herself much more able to talk to Siku than her own parents. For reasons she couldn't even explain. The white wolf pup, who up until now was just some wolf who lived with her parents, and was mates with her brother, was now the only one in all of Alaska she felt she could trust and talk to without a problem.

Balto tried to eavesdrop, Jenna trying the same, but only when Siku yelled out, did Balto hear anything from the two.

"He called you what?! And he tried to-" Siku held her tongue, not wanting to scream in anger "If I ever get my paws on him I'll-" Siku calmed down, freezing in place with her paws in the form of strangling a person, as she looked to Balto.

She straightened herself up and cleared her throat before walking over to Balto.

"Sam tried to get Saba to breed with Steele, and when she refused he beat her and called her a worthless _bitch_." Siku explained without missing a beat.

Saba only sat back and lowered her head.

"No way… Sam? But…" Balto and Siku remembered their talk with Sam a few days ago. He seemed to regret everything.  
"He did seem apologetic, yes. But nothing he could ever do would excuse his actions. Trust is an important thing, Balto. You of all people should know that. I'm pretty sure your two years alone you've come to face trust and distrust."  
"Yeah… Though, most of the time it was blind distrust from everyone in town." Balto said rather annoyed.

"Look guys, I appreciate you coming out here… There's some business I need to attend to with Kanai."

"Okay Saba, but when you're finished, you're coming home." Jenna said.

Saba sighed loudly and left the den. She noted out where Rusty and Kanai were, and started to walk to them before she was cut off.

Black Eye jumped in front of her and growled. He had heard every word said in that den, it being somewhat of an amplifier to where he stood atop the cave face. He sat patiently overhearing everything, from her traitorous human to the wolf known as Siku considering her own Sister.

He had questions for her before she would walk any further.

* * *

**Hopefully a longer chapter would make up for nearly a month of absence. Next chapter won't take as long as this one did. Sorry to those who were expecting short chapters but hey, I cut this from the 8 thousand or so words I had typed out so be happeh. **


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